The Keeper of Secrets
by Star Polaris
Summary: An old secret had been kept for many years, upon discovering it, Harry refuses to acknowledge it. But in the end, will he have a choice but to accept the truth?
1. Discovery of an Old Journal

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
A/N: First of all, I know what you're thinking, another Severitus! I would have put it on the summary but reading the guidelines I noticed the only one I really follow is the one about Severus being Harry's father, so I decided not to classify it as a Severitus even if it's along those lines.  
  
I started to write this fic quite some time ago, before the fifth book was out, so it will not have spoilers for the last book.  
  
Another warning before I, Snape is going to be OOC, some of the other characters probably too. If you don't like it, just don't read but don't complain about it, you have been warned.  
  
I think that's all, hope you like it.  
  
Polaris  
  
Chapter 1.  
  
Summer from 1st to 2nd year, before Dobby's first appearance  
  
Harry groaned while he slowly walked up the stairs. After a small breakfast, Aunt Petunia had ordered him to clean out the attic, which hadn't been done for years. Harry was dreading that work, because he knew the large room was filled with big, heavy boxes, most of them containing Dudley's old things. It would be hell to do it in one day, but he knew that if he didn't manage, Uncle Vernon would be furious and he probably wouldn't get anything to eat for dinner. Not that he usually got much food, but it was better than nothing. Finally, arriving at the small door that lead to the highest part of the house, the dark haired boy sighed and climbed up the narrow steps. Just as he had feared, the large room was filled with boxes that had been simply thrown around and were now covered with heavy layers of dust. Putting the cleaning utensils aside, the first thing he did was walk over to one of the small windows and open it widely. He couldn't start moving things around with so much dust and no proper ventilation. Once the air in the attic was semi-refreshed, he started to try and clean away the worst of the dust. It took him nearly two hours before the room was clean enough that he dared to start moving the large boxes. Even then, he had spent several minutes coughing, trying to breathe air instead of dust. It was nearly noon when Harry took a break and went to the kitchen to retrieve his meagre lunch that consisted of a sandwich with cheese and half an apple. He was sitting on the floor in the attic, drinking some water that he had brought up with him, when a small box drew his attention. Unlike the other boxes, this one was made of wood and its size was much smaller. The thing that picked his curiosity was the box that was half hidden under the other boxes. It looked like as if someone had tried to hide it. Frowning, Harry couldn't help but pick up the box. It fell strange, like it didn't belong in the dusty attic. Seeing that there seemed to be some writing on the top, he carefully took one of the rags and brushed the dust away. He nearly dropped the box in surprise. There, written innocently on the lid, was his mother's name. With trembling hands, he went to open the box but stopped. His hands were extremely dirty and he didn't know what he would find inside. Sighing, he put the box down, there was no other way, he would have to wait until he had finished and cleaned up. With trembling hand, he put the wooden box on the floor next to the door and went back to work, moving even faster than he had done before, his curiosity making him work faster than he had ever. He was surprised when he heard the front door open just when he put the last box in place. It seemed he had finished just in time since he could hear Uncle Vernon talking with Aunt Petunia downstairs.  
  
Walking down the stairs with the wooden box hidden between the folds of his T-shirt, he nodded to Uncle Vernon who scowled down at him.  
  
"Finished, boy?"  
  
Harry stopped and nodded slightly. "Yes, Uncle Vernon."  
  
The large man frowned in distaste. "Go clean up, I will not have you dirtying the whole house."  
  
Harry nodded again and went to his room, where he hid the box under his bed and immediately went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once he was dressed in clean clothes, he went downstairs and prepared supper for his relatives.  
  
It was not until after he had finished cleaning up the kitchen when he was allowed to go to his room, with express orders to stay there so as to not bother the family. Harry did so happily, as he had no desire to stay downstairs, besides, his curiosity was finally getting the better of him, and he longed to open his mother's box. He forced himself to change into his pyjamas and let Hedwig out of her cage before he settled comfortably on his bed and opened the box. The first thing he saw was a stack of pictures, and smiling slightly, he picked them out of the box so he could look at them properly. His smile turned into a frown when he saw his mother standing next to a young man who was not his father. The man was slightly familiar but he couldn't place the pale face, black hair and eyes that were twinkling happily. The man wore a small smile on his thin lips, looking in amusement at his companion. Slowly, Harry looked at the next picture; once again the man was standing there, hugging his mother closely. He didn't understand. His mother and the stranger seemed to be very close. they almost seemed to be.  
  
No, it couldn't be, his mother had been in love with his father; they probably were just very good friends, nothing more. He had nearly convinced himself of that when the next picture destroyed that thought. Friends didn't hold each other like that, friends didn't kiss each other like that, and friends especially didn't kiss each other like that while wearing wedding robes. With trembling hands, he turned the picture around and the remaining colour in his face left. There, written in small writing, said: 'Severus Snape and Lily Evans-Snape on their wedding day.'  
  
The pictures fell out from nerveless fingers. It couldn't be, it had to be a nightmare, a mistake, something. but he knew it wasn't, the picture didn't lie, his mother had been at one time, married to his Potions Master. The one that hated him with everything he had, the one who made his live a living hell at every chance he got. Trying to calm himself down, he carefully picked up the pictures that had fallen on his lap and turned his attention back to the remaining objects that lay in the box. There was a small, black jewellery box, a thin book, and what seemed to be a stack of letters. Biting his lower lip, Harry's hands picked up the book, and he opened it. Blinking, he saw that the book seemed to be a journal, a journal that had belonged to his late mother. Closing the book, he bit his lip harder, should he read it? Did he have the right to read something as personal as that? He couldn't decide. It wasn't like his mother would have a problem with it since she was dead, but on the other hand, should he breach her personal life like that? Since he didn't seem to be able to decide, he picked up the letters. Glancing down at the first one, he noticed that it was written by the familiar scrawl his potions master used. Quickly, he put them down again. If he couldn't bring himself to read his mother's journal, there was no way he would read something as personal as the letters the man had sent his mother. Trying to forget about his confused thoughts, he turned to the last thing that filled the box. Opening the small, black box, he couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Lying there in the velvety box was a small chain with a silvery snake. The snake seemed incredibly real, the small scales glinting under the dimmed light of his room. With trembling fingers, he brushed the top of the snake's head and watched in fascination as it started to glow dimly with a silvery light. His trembling immediately eased up as he started to feel safer and more protected than he had ever felt. He didn't know why, but something told him to pick up the charm, and he put the chain around his neck. The chain immediately shortened so the charm was resting comfortably between his collarbones. Harry stayed still for a long moment, simply drawing comfort from the charm. He had never felt like that, and he had to admit, he was a bit scared; why would a simple charm make him feel like that? On the other hand, he had to take into account that it was probably magical, so it shouldn't be such a surprise. His eyes were once again drawn towards the book. Should he read it? He had so many questions, and he really didn't know whom he should turn to. Dumbledore? The old man had probably better things to do, and what's more, he had refused to answer his questions at the end of last year, so it was probably unlikely that he would answer them now. McGonagall? No, he didn't feel comfortable enough around her to ask such personal questions, besides he didn't know if the professor had known his parents outside of class. The Dursleys? They would probably have panic attacks if he just mentioned his mother's name, he really didn't want to be locked up in his room for the rest of his summer. Snape? That thought was even worse than the Dursleys; the man would probably curse him to hell and back for simply sticking his nose in other man's business, especially since he seemed to be a large part of the problem. Maybe Hagrid. but no, this seemed to be a secret and everyone knew that the large man couldn't keep a secret to save his life. There really wasn't much of a choice. He could either forget about it or read the journal.  
  
Five minutes later, Harry settled comfortably against his pillows with the thin book in his hands. He was ready to face anything that he was about to read. at least, he hoped he was.  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N: Thanks to my beta-reader Vinnie. 


	2. The journal

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Truths.  
  
1st September 1978  
  
Dear diary,  
  
I'm so happy! Today, I'm finally returning to Hogwarts for my last year of schooling. Summer was horrible as usual. Petunia is now engaged to the most horrible man on earth. It's a pity that Mum and Dad seem to like him; I have had to put up with him and his stupid ideas for far too long. I don't understand what my sister sees in him; then again, I haven't understood my sister for many years. I guess that Hogwarts came between us; I even have heard her call me 'a freak'. At first, it bothered me, but now I'm over it. I love my life at Hogwarts; I have everything I would wish to have, and if my sister is too closed-minded to accept it, it's her problem.  
  
Other than my problems with Petunia and her fiancée, I've also missed my friends terribly. The Marauders have been able to keep in close contact with me through owls, but unluckily, my boyfriend hasn't been able to. That stupid family of his refuse to allow him to keep in contact with a muggle- born witch. I'm lucky that Sev is so bull-headed; else our relationship would have been impossible. From the first moment we started dating, he told me very clearly what problems we would have, but oh well, I love him, and there's nothing and no one that will stand in our way. I won't allow it.  
  
I'm ranting again about Sev, it seems to be one of my favourite pass-times. I saw him briefly today, when he came to harass the Marauders. I should be angry with him for insulting my friends, but I was just too happy to see him to pay much attention. Besides, he says he only does it so he can see me without drawing attention.  
  
The sorting went on as usual, and after that, James and I, as Head Boy and Girl, lead the first years to the Gryffindor common room and then held a prefects meeting, informing the new prefects of their duties. It was quite late when we finished, and I wasn't able to sneak out to see Sev. No matter, I'm sure I'll be able to see him tomorrow.  
  
0000000000000000  
  
Harry frowned. Well, it seemed that his mother and Snape had been close during school, however, if that was so, how did she end up with James? Or didn't she? Shaking his head, he turned to the book again. It seemed his mother hadn't really been a writer since there weren't daily entries.  
  
00000000000000000  
  
10th September 1978  
  
There's something wrong with Sev. He keeps telling me it's nothing, but I know he's lying, and it worries me. Sev has never in his life lied to me; that he feels the need to do so now is bothering me a lot. Don't get me wrong, my boyfriend is just as kind, gentle, and patient as always, but now there seems to be an inherent sadness hidden inside his dark coal eyes and I can't figure out what it is. I'm starting to feel afraid. Did something happen to him during summer?  
  
20th September 1978  
  
Those bastards! Those sad excuses for human beings! How can someone do something like this to another human being? A boy! More than a boy, your own son!  
  
Today, I finally found out what was wrong with Sev. I had been trying to get him to tell me from the first day, but he's so stubborn. I knew he was hurting, but he wouldn't allow me to help him. Now I know he was afraid that I would reject him. Today, he broke down, and finally told me that his parents had forced him to accept the Dark Mark during summer. I think he was surprised when, instead of leaving the room in disgust as he had been expecting, I hugged him. But he really should have known better. I knew everything about his family, and I knew that this possibility existed.  
  
We spoke for a long time, and finally, I managed to convince him that he should go and speak with Dumbledore. We did it at once, before Sev lost his nerve. I wished I could have gone with him, but right now, we don't want anyone to know about our relationship, not even Dumbledore. When Sev returned, he seemed to be relieved, he told me that the Headmaster had been very understanding, and had assured Sev that he would do everything that was in his power to shield him. Severus had agreed with Dumbledore that he would pass him any information he got, and that, in the future, when he was out of school, he would spy for him. I was worried about the last part, but what could I do? That was the best Sev could do, and a lot of people would be saved thanks to him. Even so, I know it will be a big responsibility to bear, and I plan to stand next to him. Always.  
  
00000000000000000000000000  
  
Harry closed his eyes, wondering what the entire story about that Dark Mark was about. It sounded like something bad. Maybe it had something to do with Voldemort? Probably. But then, that meant that Snape was a good guy! He wished he had known that last year, he wouldn't have been in so much trouble if he had known that it wasn't Snape who was after the Stone. Maybe he would have suspected Quirrel earlier. Harry shook his head; it wasn't good to dwell on what ifs. Looking at the clock standing next to him, he noticed it was nearly midnight. He really should go to sleep, especially since he probably would be woken up early to start making breakfast. On the other hand, he still had too many questions, and he probably wouldn't be able to sleep anyways. Looking at the book again, Harry decided to read a bit more.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
25th October 1978  
  
What we long feared has finally happened. After nearly two years of dating, someone found out. On the other hand, we were lucky since it was James and not Sirius who saw us. Not that he had much to complain about, after all, who would have thought that a Potter would date a Malfoy? Everyone would have heart failures if they found out that James Potter was dating Lucius' younger sister. At the time it didn't seem funny, but thinking about it right now, Severus' face was priceless. Yes, we were very lucky. James and Angela gave us their word they would not tell anyone as long as we didn't either; I hope they keep their word. I know James will not tell anyone, but I'm not so sure about Angela. Maybe it's time I got to know her better; after all, she's one of Severus' best friends.  
  
30th October 1978  
  
Who would have thought that Lucius would have such a sweet sister? The guy is a bastard, but Angela seems to have all the qualities that Lucius lacks. No wonder that James likes her a lot, she is fun to be with and kind, even if she's ambitious as a true Malfoy; she says she wants to be the best in everything. As far as I know, she is, indeed, one of the best witches in her year. She approached me the other day and asked me if I could tutor her in charms, which is her worst subject. Lucius didn't seem to like it, in fact, he looked furious, but somehow, Sev managed to calm him down, and I accepted. James was very happy, and he also asked if I could tutor him. I really wonder if we will do much work.  
  
2nd November 1978  
  
Today was the first tutoring session, and much to my delight, Lucius had asked Sev to keep an eye on his younger sister. It seems that the blond boy wants to set up his best friend with his sister. Little does he know that that isn't going to happen.  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	3. Shocking marriages

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Keeper of Secrets.  
  
Harry woke up to the furious pounding on his door.  
  
"Wake up, you little brat! You need to make breakfast."  
  
Sighing, the boy stood up and was startled when he felt the book that had been lying on his chest fall down onto the bare floor. Blinking, he remembered what had happened the night before, Snape and his mother. Shaking his head he left the room and went to the bathroom; he couldn't think about it right now, he had things to do, and if he annoyed the Dursleys by being distracted he would have even more chores to do. Returning to his room, he got dressed in his usual rags and hid the precious box under his bed.  
  
The day progressed as normal as possible. Petunia was putting everything together for the big party that they were going to have the next day to celebrate Dudley's birthday. While she cooked, Harry had been ordered to clean everything up so he didn't have much time to thing about the journal and all the secrets that surrounded his parents. It was nearly ten o'clock when he was finally allowed to retire to his room. After cleaning up, he sat comfortably in bed and pulled the journal from under his bed to continue his reading.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
15th November 1978  
  
I don't like this, I'm afraid that someone saw us; people have started to stare weirdly at Sev and me, and the rumours are flying around. We need to stop it before it gets out of hand, but how? James, Angela, Sev, and I are going to meet later tonight to discuss things. These rumours could be especially dangerous to Sev, because if the Dark Lord found out he was dating a muggle born witch. I don't want to think what he might do.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Harry frowned. So he had been right, it had to do with Voldemort. Well, that might explain why he was always so nasty to Gryffindors. But if he had been in love with his mother, than why did Snape hate him so much. Was it because James had ended up marrying Lily? Or could it be that the man hated him for causing his mother's death? Shaking his head, he tried to put away those sombre thoughts, it wouldn't do him well to get depressed, so he turned to the journal, trying to guess what his parents had done.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
16th November 1978  
  
Well, we found a solution, but I'm not sure if I'm happy with it. It certainly will solve most of our problems, but it requires a great deal of trust concerning everyone. It seems that Lucius has been pushing Sev and Angela together; his family wants their daughter to marry Sev and so uniting both their precious families. Well, our plan is simple. We will just do what they want. Starting today, Sev will officially be dating Angela, and in a few days, James will ask me out. We will keep up with our tutoring sessions, but otherwise, we'll have to keep apart. It's going to be hard, but there's no other way, we can't risk it. It's a wonderful plan, and I trust Sev enough to know that he won't do anything with Angela. But am I ready to trust the Slytherin? I don't know, but there is no other way, we'll have to keep things this way until we graduate. I hate this, stupid house rivalries, and stupid Dark Lord, I wish he was gone, so many things would be better and easier.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
20th November 1978  
  
I don't know if I can keep this up. Every time I see Angela hanging on Sev's arm I have to fight down the urge to rip her of and scream 'mine!' Of course, I can't do that, especially since I know that she feels nothing more but friendship for Sev. At least, I hope it's all she feels, because if there's more, I might very well curse her. Today, James asked me to go out with him in front of the whole Gryffindor house. Of course I accepted, even if I've never been so embarrassed in my life. One of the reasons I would never be able to date James is that he likes public displays too much, when I hate them. I'm lucky that Sev is even more private than I am.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
1st December 1978  
  
Today was a weird day. We had a tutoring session as usual, but it ended up with James and Sev having to go to the infirmary due to several jokes they had played on each other. That left Angela and me alone in the library. The younger girl didn't seem to be in the mood to study, so I asked what was wrong with her. It seems I wasn't the only one uncomfortable with our current situation. Angela had as much trouble accepting the idea of James and me playing the part of boyfriend and girlfriend as I had of her pretending to be with Sev. We talked quietly for a few moments before giving up all pretences of studying and left the library to find a more private place to talk. We ended up talking for a long time, basically finding reasons as to why James and Sev could or couldn't be our respective boyfriends. I have to say, it reassured me a lot, I'm starting to see that Angela sees Sev as an older brother. I hope she was as reassured as I was when we finally made our way to the infirmary. I am starting to like her more and more.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Harry skimmed through the pages more quickly now, it wasn't that he wasn't interested in his mother's adventures, but he needed to know what would happen before he could fully enjoy the rest of the journal's contents. Finally, near the end of the journal, he found an entry that drew his attention.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
25th May 1979  
  
Our NEWTs are nearly upon us, but today, we found out a more important fact. It seems that the Malfoys don't want to wait for Angela to finish school before she's married. As soon as Sev graduates, they are going to be married. Angela will be pulled out of school and finish her studies under a private tutor. When they told us that, I thought my world was crumbling. What should we do? I was even more nervous when James confessed that his parents were pressing him into marrying me as soon as possible. With the threat of the Dark Lord, all pureblood families are pushing their children to marry. Those on the dark side so there will be more Death Eaters and those on the light side to make sure that their family line is not destroyed. We tried to think up a solution but none of us could come up with a plan. We even considered eloping, but what would that help? Severus has duties, he has promised that he would help Dumbledore as long as the man protected him, and James and Angela couldn't just disappear, their families were too important. When we left, Angela had a strange glint in her eyes, and I cannot help but wonder what she is planning. Knowing her family, it will be something sneaky and probably insane, but what does it matter? We are desperate.  
  
29th May 1979  
  
I was right, she's insane. One week till we take our NEWTs, and this weekend, instead of studying as every other normal teen, I'm going to get married. It seems Angela has quite a few friends in high places, and they have promised not only to marry us in secret, but also to officiate the other weddings and make sure there are no problems. I have a lot of doubts; will it even work? I know I love Sev with all my heart, but I don't know if we're ready to make that kind of commitment. That is, I had my doubts until Sev went down on one knee in front of me and presented me with the most wonderful ring I've ever seen. Of course, I accepted the ring. After we went our separate ways, James decided to make a show of asking me to marry him so no one would ask too many questions about the ring. After he did that, we had a big party in the common room. I wonder how we're going to be able to wake up tomorrow; it's already two o'clock in the morning, and if I don't go to bed now, I won't be able to stay awake during lessons.  
  
2nd June 1979  
  
Yesterday was the happiest day in my life! It was wonderful. I had always imagined a big wedding but ours was better. We were married in a small church, just outside Hogsmeade. We had gotten our wedding robes just before climbing up the small mountain that lead to the church, and even if it had been rushed, James swore we looked very beautiful in them. There were not many witnesses besides the preacher, just James, Angela, and two of her friends. After Sev and I were married, Angela and James exchanged their vows. After that, we went to a small hotel near the church, where Sev had rented two rooms, and consummated our union. After all, we didn't know when we would be able to be together again. We got in a bit of trouble when we got back to school long after curfew, but being Head Boy and Head Girl has its perks, and we were able to distract Professor McGonagall enough so Sev and Angela were able to slip in unnoticed.  
  
After yesterday, I'm having a lot of trouble concentrating, but there's really not much I can do about it, because tomorrow, in a week, we'll all be taking our NEWTs, and I need to pass them with good marks so I can get a decent job. I can't imagine returning home, especially no since I know that Petunia and that bastard are now married and living with Mum and Dad.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
To say that Harry was in shock would have been an understatement. His mother and Professor Snape had been married, and it seemed that his father had been married to another woman. A Malfoy no less. He was confused; if his mother had been in love with Professor Snape, and his father with that other woman, then how come that James and Lily had got him? It didn't seem very likely that they would have a son with someone they didn't love, and which whom they were pretending to get married to protect each other. A little doubt had started to grow in the back of his mind, what if his parents were not who he thought they were? Harry shook his head forcefully, that couldn't happen, there had to be another explanation. After all, if either Angela or Professor Snape was his parent, then they would have claimed him, wouldn't they? The boy bit his lip softly; did he really want to keep reading? Did he want to find one that one of his parents would have hated him so much that he would leave him with the Dursleys?  
  
Full of contradicting emotions, Harry decided he had read enough for one day and closed the journal. Tomorrow, he would read again, at least, if he found the courage to do so.  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader Vinnie (And Me Me Me. Like always. I'm forgotten, Leena. who gives ideas to Polaris and who pushes her to have new chapters for you to read ^_^.) .   
  
For those of you who wish to read the fic in french, Leena is translating at the same time I update so there should be no problem (I'm right on time.).   
  
You can find her fics here (and if this doesn't work just look for Leena Asakura):   
  
  
  
Enjoy! 


	4. The truth is best ignored

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 4.  
  
The next day, the Dursleys had decided to go to London so they could buy Dudley some birthday presents. Since Miss Figg was away for a few days and they didn't trust Harry to be around the house on his own, Uncle Vernon had locked him up in his room with a bit of food and something to drink. Any other time, Harry would have been furious, but right now, he felt grateful; this meant he had the whole day to read his mother's journal.  
  
After he had eaten some breakfast, Harry sat back on his bed and opened the book. He looked quickly through the pages that explained what had happened during graduation, and how Snape and Angela had been married. James and Lily had been there because of James' parents. A month later, the Gryffindor couple had been married too. They had bought a house in the same town as the Snapes so it wouldn't be suspicious if someone saw them walking around. Each night, the men used a private floo to return to their rightful homes.  
  
Harry kept looking through the pages, readying bits and pieces of each entry; he would later read everything but right now he needed answers. Suddenly, the boy stopped at a page written in bright blue letters.  
  
15th December 1979.  
  
I'M PREGNANT! I just found out, I'm so happy. It's a pity Sev won't be back for a few days; I would have loved for him to be the first to know. He has longed to have children for so long. But his latest mission will last several more days, and I couldn't help but tell James and Angela. They were both ecstatic. I hope everything will go alright, now more than ever we need to find something to look forward to, and I hope that our child will help Sev and me to pull through these difficult times.  
  
17th December 1979.  
  
Sev came back sooner than expected, but he was so tired I didn't have the heart to tell him; he looked ready to collapse on the spot. I barely had the time to help him take a shower and get him into bed before he was completely asleep.  
  
This evening Angela came. She had great news; she thinks she might be pregnant too. She hadn't told James yet but wanted me to go to the doctor with her in two days. I'm happy for them, I know her family has been pressing her and Sev for a child. Not that Lucius wouldn't perform his duty, but they want to be safe and have another heir ready just in case something happened to Lucius and his newlywed, Narcissa. I think it's sick, to force your children to have children just for the sake of a name, but oh well, it's their business, as long as Angela doesn't get hurt by it, it will not bother me much.  
  
18th December 1979.  
  
I finally had the chance to tell him today. He returned rather soon from his visit to Hogwarts, and I was already waiting for him at home. At first, when I told him I was pregnant, I was afraid he would be angry; he just had that shocked look on his face. He must have noticed I was about to start crying, because the next moment, he had jumped out of his seat, and I was in his arms while he apologised for being surprised and told me how happy he really was. When we parted, he was smiling happily, and I was finally able to relax, knowing that he wasn't only telling me that to calm me down. After a few more minutes of silence, he started to talk really fast about all we would have to do and how I should be careful. I'm still trying to figure out all he said, the poor man was so happy I had a hard time making him shut up. After that, James and Angela came over to have dinner with us; it's been a long time since I had such a good evening.  
  
19th December 1979.  
  
Today was another perfect day. I went with Angela to the doctor, and as suspected, she is pregnant. Actually, the doctor thinks she's going to have twins. Angela was so happy with the news. She nearly forgot about me on her way to tell James. Luckily, James and Sev were together at our house, and we were able to tell them the good news together. I couldn't help but laugh when James started to jump with Angela all over the room. Sometimes, James and Sev are so much alike it's scary. Not that I would ever dare to tell either.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Harry sighed; it was all so confusing. James and Angela had had children nearly at the same time that his mother and Snape. So now the most important question in his mind was, who were his parents? By his looks, he would guess he was James's son, but then where did the eyes come from? And if that was the case, then where was his mother? And why did Professor Snape, who would be supposed to be his father, hate him this much? Was it because his mother had given her life to save him? Harry shuddered slightly, that would explain a lot. But it didn't really fit. After all, if he had been Angela and James's son, he would have lived with Snape, and certainly not with Lily's relatives. So that meant he was Lily and Snape's son, but that didn't make much sense either. In the first place, he looked like James. Hell, everyone told him he even acted like him. And if that was the case, Snape's behaviour became even more puzzling.  
  
Sighing, Harry turned his eyes to the journal, there was only one way to find out the truth, but he wondered once again if he wouldn't be better off without knowing. Shaking his head, he started to leaf through the pages; he had come this far, now he needed to know all the truth, no matter how horrible.  
  
Quickly he ran his gaze through the pages until he reached the one where he knew he would find the answers he needed.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
30 July 1980  
  
Sev came back home after a week at Voldemort's side. The poor dear was exhausted and extremely concerned about me. He shouldn't be, I'm very careful, and James keeps an eye on both, Angela and me. There's not much time left, I can nearly feel it. Just a few more days and my baby will be born. I hope Sev will be there, I really would hate for our little one to be born when he was not able to be at my side.  
  
4 August 1980  
  
He's here! Our baby boy was born five days ago. He looks a lot like Sev but has my green eyes and it seems he has got my red hair too, even if it's darker. The doctor said that that might change; babies usually have lighter hair and eyes. Then question about names arose. That was another problem we hadn't taken into account. It seems pureblood families have strange ideas about names. James told me that even before my son was born, his name had already been decided. Harold James Potter: Harold, because that's James' father's name, and James because of his supposed father. It's not that I don't like the name, but I would have preferred to be able to name my own child as I wished, even more so because James is not even his father. After a long discussion at my hospital bed, with Angela and Sev who had arrived as soon as everyone else left, it was decided that we would make false birth certificates, not only for our son, but also for James and Angela's children. Once again, being a Malfoy proved to be very useful. I will probably never know how she did it, and I really don't want to know, but within the hour, our child had been named Zachary Severus Snape, as we both had wished. We held a small ceremony in which James and Angela were appointed as the child's godparents. The fake ceremony will take place in a few days, and James has chosen Sirius as the godfather and Arabella as the godmother. Now, the only thing we have to wait about is for Angela's children to be born.  
  
5 August 1980  
  
I'm sitting here, back at my home, with James pacing along the room. Angela went into labour a few hours ago and Sev had to leave with her. James would have loved to go with her, but with all the Malfoy and the Snape family around, it would have been too dangerous.  
  
I know how he feels; I felt the same way when Sev decided it was much too dangerous to come with me to the hospital. I was glad to have James there, but I would have preferred to have Sev at my side.  
  
Sev just called. As the doctor said so many months ago, she had twins. A boy and a girl. Officially, they will be named Darrick Severus Snape and Dalila Angela Snape, but Angela already arranged the official papers, and James and her decided on the names of Heron James Potter and Chiara Angela Potter. Sev and I were appointed as godparents to the two of them; we really couldn't let anyone else into our secret.  
  
Everything is arranged now; the public ceremonies will take place in a few days, and hopefully, we will have some peace.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Harry carefully closed the journal. He didn't need to look into a mirror to know he was deathly pale. The only thought running through his confused mind was that not only Snape was his father, but also that the man hated him. Sure, he had saved him in the quidditch match, but other than that, the Professor had done all he could to make his life a living hell. How could that man be the same his mother described as caring and gentle? And what had he done to not only earn such hatred but also to have to live with his relatives, who despised him?  
  
For hours and hours, Harry stayed still, lying on the bed and trying to come to terms that the dark Potions master was his father.  
  
Finally, he started to move again. He tossed the journal aside and went to the table to get something to eat. He had to do something to take his mind of what he had read.  
  
After he had eaten a few sandwiches and an apple, he picked up the journal again. Sighing, he lay back on his bed and opened the journal. He really didn't want to read more, but knew that he needed to keep going to understand what was happening.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
2 September 1981  
  
The last few days have been devastating. In just a few days our whole world has crashed down around us, and I'm having a very hard time coping with it. It started three days ago, when Death Eaters attacked Snape Manor. They killed Angela and the children disappeared without a trace. James was devastated when he heard; he came to our house immediately, demanding to know if Sev knew anything about it. Severus was as shocked as any of us about the attack. Voldemort hadn't said anything about it to him, and he knew that it either was because Voldemort didn't trust him or one of the death eaters had wanted to take revenge on him. We were just going to talk to Dumbledore when the Dark Lord called Sev, he told us to get going to see the headmaster while he would find out all that he could.  
  
James had been back at home for a few hours when Sev returned with little Chiara asleep in his arms. James rushed to him and took his daughter in his own arms, all the while asking what had happened and where Darrick was. Sev looked at him sadly and went to sit next to me. I still can't believe the tale he told us. It seems that it was all Lucius Malfoy's doing. A few months ago, the Malfoy heir found out he couldn't have children, so he decided that instead of allowing his family to find out, he would take Angela's son as his heir. He tried to convince his sister to hand over her son to him and tell everyone that little Darrick had died, but she refused. It was her death. Lucius took the twins with him and went back home. He gave Darrick to Narcissa and told her to go on a holiday so no one would suspect anything. Since he didn't have any use for Dalila, he just handed her to Sev at the Death Eaters meeting. Voldemort didn't even mind what Lucius had done. Instead, he ordered Sev to kill Dalila so no one would suspect anything. By the time Sev finished his tale, James was clutching his daughter to him. He knew Sev wouldn't harm her, but he also knew he couldn't keep his daughter with him. We talked deep into the night, and in the end, it was decided that we would place little Chiara in a muggle orphanage. No one would suspect Sev to place her in such place, so she would be well protected. To ensure that no one would recognise her, I placed charms on her to hide her identity; after all, she had the typical Malfoy hair, and that would have been a dead give-away. As for Darrick, there was not much they could do. Defying the Dark Lord would only get Sev killed; besides, they knew that no matter what, as Lucius Malfoy's son, Darrick would be protected.  
  
I hope everything works out in the end, there have already been too many deaths, and it sadly doesn't seem like it's going to be stopping anytime soon.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
As sad as it was, Harry couldn't help but bit back a laugh. If he wasn't mistaken, Draco Malfoy was actually Heron James Potter. Ah, the irony! If only he could tell him that to his face. The great Draco Malfoy, the son of a Gryffindor. On the other hand, he had to wonder what had happened to Chiara. After all, if she was a witch, she should be going to school right now, maybe even Hogwarts. He would have to look into it.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
29 October 1981.  
  
The news Sev brought back is troubling to say the least. Voldemort is intending to killing James, Zach, and I. And there's only one thing we can do to keep us safe. Tonight, we'll be going into hiding with Sirius Black as our secret-keeper. There's no other way. I wish Sev could come into hiding with us, but it just can't be done. His work is far too important, and he's needed right now. I don't know when I'll be able to see him again, I don't even know if I'll ever see him again, and it breaks my heart to know that he could die without me knowing. I will have James and Zach with me; he will have no one. I'm scared, but there's nothing anyone can do.  
  
I've decided to leave this journal and everything that binds me to Sev at my sister's house. It's too dangerous to take it with me into hiding and no one will look for it at Privet Drive. I will place charms around the box so that only my son will be able to open this. I don't know what the future holds, but I sincerely hope that my child will be able to grow up in a peaceful time.  
  
My son,  
  
If you're reading this, it means I'm dead and that you survived. I don't know how much you know, I don't even know if your father or your godfather are even alive. Just after we left little Chiara at the muggle orphanage, I placed the same charms on you so you would look like James instead of Severus. The charms will disappear the moment you turn fifteen, and you will once again look like Sev. If your father is still around, please tell him I love him. Stay safe and happy, my child, and know that I'll always be proud of you, no matter what.  
  
Love, your mother.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Tears were falling from his eyes while he re-read the last words his mother had ever written. He knew he would have to read the whole journal again, but as for now, he knew what had happened, and he knew he needed to make a few decisions. The most important was what should he tell his father? Severus Snape hated him; there was no doubt about that. If he told him that he knew the truth, the man would reject him; there was no doubt about that either. He could live with the knowledge that the man hated him, after all, the Dursleys had hated him since he was a child, he was used to it. There really wasn't any sense to tell the man that he knew; it probably would only give his teacher more reason to hate him. Looking back at the book, he sighed and put it back into the box, it had been enough, and he had to forget all this ever happened. Severus Snape would always be his Potions Master and nothing else. Slowly, he put the letters and the pictures back into the box, then he tried to pull the necklace over his head, but something was keeping him from taking it off. After struggling for a few minutes, he gave up, and placed it under his shirt, where he decided it would stay until he found a way to take it of.  
  
Finally, after making sure everything was inside the box, he locked it and put it under the bed. He would have to remember to put it in his trunk as soon as possible.  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader, Vinnie. 


	5. Chiara

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 5.  
  
End of third year.  
  
Ron and Harry were sitting silently in the common room playing chess. Everyone else had gone outside to enjoy the warm weather and a swim in the lake. Harry had not been in the mood to do so and Ron had stayed inside with him. They didn't know where Hermione had gone; she had become distant, and not even their discovery of the time-turner had helped much. Harry suspected there was something else she was hiding, but didn't want to confront her. He knew that in the end she would tell them in her own time.  
  
Both looked up when the portrait opened, and they were a bit surprised to see Hermione standing there, clutching a piece of paper. She wasn't looking at them, but by the way her shoulders were shaking, Harry guessed that she was either crying, or had just stopped. Concerned, the green-eyed teen went to her and put an arm around her.  
  
"Hermione? What's wrong?"  
  
Gently, he led her to one of the couches and made her sit down. Ron joined them in no time, taking a seat on Hermione's other side. The girl remained silent for a long while, until she finally looked up and began to stare out of one of the windows.  
  
"About a month ago, I received a letter from my parents. I had been asking questions about our family, trying to find out if I had a wizard or witch in there somewhere." She licked her lips nervously. "They answered the first few letters, but in their last one, they told me they couldn't keep lying to me that way anymore."  
  
Ron looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
Hermione swallowed. "I'm adopted, Ron. My parents adopted me when I was a year old. From what they could tell me, my father could no longer take care of me and brought me to the orphanage so someone could take proper care of me."  
  
Harry frowned; there was something in that story that was starting to feel wrong. He didn't say anything, but just listened as his friends speak.  
  
"That means you could be the daughter of wizards! Wouldn't that be great? It would teach Malfoy a lesson."  
  
Hermione bit her lip nervously. "I am the daughter of wizards, Ron." She looked at him sharply. "My real name is Dalila Angela Snape, and my parents are Severus Snape and Angela Malfoy."  
  
Harry went deathly pale. He hadn't heard that name in nearly two years, but he would never be able to forget it. He listened in a haze as Ron comforted Hermione. What should he do? Should he tell her the truth? As he had promised himself, he had never told anyone what he had found out, he had even done all he could to forget everything. But now, as he looked at Hermione crying in Ron's arms, he came to a decision. She had the right to know the truth. Even if he had chosen a long time ago to deny it all, she had the right to know and make her own choices. Slowly, he stood up and his two friends looked at him questioningly. Hermione dried her tears and sat up.  
  
"Harry? Does it bother you that Professor Snape is my father?"  
  
The teen looked at her for a long time then slowly shook his head. "No, of course not. But I have something that you should read. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
He went to his room, and after looking through his trunk for a few minutes, he pulled out the old box. Opening it, he picked the journal he had not seen since that summer two years ago and headed back downstairs. He sat back down next to Hermione and gave her the book.  
  
"This is my mother's journal. In there, you will read things that no one knows. As far as I can guess, only Professor Snape and myself know the truth, and the Professor doesn't know that I know. Read it, you too, Ron, and then we'll talk. Please, make sure no one else sees it."  
  
Without another word, the boy stood up and left the room, leaving his friends with his mother's journal.  
  
It wasn't until the next day when he saw them again. They both had skipped breakfast, and by the looks of it, neither had slept much. He was once again sitting in the deserted common room when they joined him. Silently, Hermione handed him the journal back.  
  
"Thank you for allowing me to read this. Zach."  
  
The boy looked at her sharply and then nodded slightly. "You're welcome, Chiara."  
  
Ron sighed and leaned back into his chair, looking at them carefully. "How long have you known about this, Har. I mean, Zach? And have you talked to your father?"  
  
The boy frowned. "You can call me 'Harry', Ron. I have known for about two years, and no, I haven't talked to him. I do not wish to be told flat out that he doesn't love me."  
  
Hermione frowned. "How can you know he doesn't want you if you don't ask him?"  
  
Harry looked at her as if he was questioning her sanity. "Chiara, we're talking about Professor Snape. You know the man that hates us, and has nearly expelled us.I don't know how many times. The man that nearly gave Sirius the Dementor's kiss and then refused to listen to us."  
  
The girl sighed. "I guess I can see your point. I still think you should talk to him, but it's your choice."  
  
Harry snorted. "Exactly. Besides, if I should talk to my father, you should talk to your twin."  
  
Ron gagged at the thought and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Good point. There's no way I'm going to talk to that brat."  
  
They all laughed softly and then stayed silent for a while. Harry was relieved to know that his friends were not going to abandon him, just because of his father. It was a while later when Hermione's hesitant voice broke the silence.  
  
"Say, Zach, have you read through the whole journal?"  
  
The boy looked at her and slowly shook his head. "Just the most important bits. I was too anxious to know what was going on, and after that I just wanted to forget the whole thing."  
  
Hermione nodded and picked the journal out of his hands. She looked through the pages and finally handed the journal back to him, opened at one entry. "Here, read."  
  
4 February 1981  
  
Pureblood families are very weird. Why do they insist in engaging two children who cannot even walk? Especially, when most of the time, the engagement is broken before they reach their tenth birthday. Sev and James tried to explain to me that it was just a security measure and that it really was only tradition, but I still think it's a waste of time. But well, James' family insisted so there was not much we could do about it. Luckily, they accepted Dalila as a good enough fiancée for Harry, even though she is a Snape. Well, I shouldn't worry too much about it; after all, it's unlikely that our children are going to marry, since they probably will become as close as siblings.  
  
By the time Harry had finished reading the entry, he was blushing a deep red and shooting looks at Hermione, who wasn't looking much better. "I take it you didn't read that?"  
  
Harry vigorously shook his head no and closed the journal. "I didn't need to know I was engaged to my best friend!"  
  
Ron couldn't help it anymore, and he burst into laughter. "Oi! Honestly you two, you make it sound as if it's the end of the world. Anyone in a pureblood family is engaged to someone, it usually never goes farther than that. As your mother wrote, it was used many years ago as a way to ensure the purity of blood in families. Now you usually get engaged to the children of close friends, just to show that the two families will help each other when they need it."  
  
Hermione looked at him weirdly. "That means you're engaged to someone."  
  
Ron blushed a bit but nodded. "Yeah, she's a year older than us, a Ravenclaw. Sandra Felows; she's a nice girl, but we don't really have anything in common. Besides, she's dating some other guy in Ravenclaw. Those engagements really don't mean much most of the time. There are exceptions of course, like in the Malfoy family." The three of them grimaced. "You only need to see how Pansy Parkingson hangs on your brother's arm, Hermione."  
  
The girl nodded in disgust, she didn't like the Slytherin. "So, if it doesn't mean that much, why do they still do it?"  
  
Ron shrugged his shoulders. "Mostly to keep in good relations with other families, or to keep traditions. The wizarding world hasn't changed much over the years, and the old traditions are still important."  
  
Then Hermione frowned. "Talking about traditions, my parents mentioned something about a necklace that I had on me when I was adopted. They said that the orphanage told them they should give it to me before my fifteenth birthday. Do you have any idea what it could be?"  
  
Ron thought for a few moments and then nodded slightly. "I guess they are talking about a crest necklace." When he saw the blank looks in their faces, he chuckled a bit and started to explain. "Crest necklaces are protection necklaces. They have some charms to guard the children and to protect them if the parents are not available. They usually feature the family crest." He took out the necklace he always wore around his neck. It was a small lion with bright blue eyes and red fur. "This is the family crest of the Weasleys, every child in my family has one. They are especially important in pureblood families; they kind of show to everyone you're from a magical family. Not many people care about it anymore, but they keep using them for the safety of their children."  
  
While Hermione nodded, Harry was fingering the necklace he had worn since the day he found it in the box. Was it possible? It certainly would make sense. Turning to Ron, he spoke softly. "Ron, do you know what the Snape's family crest represents?"  
  
The redhead frowned. "Mmh, I think it was a snake of some kind; I think I have a book of crests upstairs if you're interested."  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, that's not necessary." Pulling out his necklace he showed it to his friends. "Do you think this is it?"  
  
Ron's smiled brightened and he nodded. "Yes, I'm pretty sure that is it. That's the Snape's family crest. Where did you find it, if your father didn't give it to you?"  
  
Harry tucked the necklace back in place. "It was in my mother's box. Once I put it on I couldn't take it of."  
  
Ron nodded. "Only an adult can take the necklace off, it's part of the safety charms."  
  
They stayed in silence for a while longer and then Harry finally stood up, nodding towards the journal, he spoke softly. "I'm going to put this back into its box."  
  
Hermione looked at him. "You want to ignore it again?"  
  
Harry shrugged his shoulders without turning. "Why shouldn't I?"  
  
The girl walked to stand at his side. "You do realize that in less than two years the charms will wear off, don't you?"  
  
Harry nodded slightly. "Yes, I know. I'll deal with it when the time comes. There's not much more I can do about it now."  
  
Hermione frowned, she really didn't agree, but knowing she wouldn't be able to make him change his mind, she silently nodded. "As you wish, but don't expect me to forget. From now on, to me, you will be Zach. Not Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, but Zachary Snape, my fiancée and the boy who was supposed to grow up at my side, as my god-brother."  
  
Harry looked at her for a long moment and then bent to peck her check. "As you wish, Chiara. Just do me a favour, and don't let my father hear you."  
  
Ron laughed from where he was sitting on the couch. "That would be rich, can you imagine his face?"  
  
They all shared a laugh and decided that while they could, they would keep the secret safe.  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	6. Summer holidays

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 6.  
  
Summer from fourth to fifth year.  
  
Harry, now usually called Zach by his two best friends, was lying on his bed in Privet Drive. It was just a few days before his birthday, and for once he wished that the day would never arrive. In past years, he had been anxious since it meant there was only one more month left until he could leave the house, and usually he spent it at Ron's house. This year would be different. Not only was he not allowed to leave, the charms that had been placed on him since his childhood would fall, and he would take on his real appearance. Harry was terrified about what that would mean. Sure, he was curious to know what he would look like without the charms, but if his mother had been right, he would look a lot like his father. His father that hated him and that had not even made a move to claim him as his son. Sighing, he rolled on his back, wondering how Hermione would cope with everything. She was lucky enough to have her family's support; he didn't even have that. The Dursleys were probably going to shout at him for doing freakish things in their normal house, not caring that the world was shattering around him.  
  
For the past year, the three of them had been growing used to the new development; Ron had taken to call them by their real names when they were in private and even sometimes in the common room. Chiara and he had become closer trying to get to know each other better since that had seemed to be their parents' wish. They were not planning to act on the engagement, but there was no denying that they could become the best of friends.  
  
A soft hoot came from the window, startling him out of his thoughts. Looking up, he saw it was Artemisa, Hermione's new owl. Harry got up from his bed and went to open the window before Uncle Vernon noticed and came to yell at him. Petting the owl and giving her something to eat and drink, he settled in his chair to read the letter.  
  
Hey Zach,  
  
How are you doing? I hope the Dursleys are not being too awful to you, but from what you've told me about them, that's doubtful. I've been doing alright, I didn't go to Bulgaria because my parents didn't like the idea, but instead, they took me for a week to Greece. It was very interesting, I'll tell you all about it when we get back to Hogwarts.  
  
Since I know you don't get the Daily Prophet, and it's highly unlikely that anyone is telling you anything, I've decided to tell you what is going on. It seems that Voldemort didn't wait to make his presence known; he has already threatened several families, and there have been a few attacks on muggles. Nothing very big, but it has been enough to force Fudge to acknowledge what is going on. I'm guessing Dumbledore had a lot to do with that. The aurors are getting ready, and it seems they are waiting for Voldemort to launch a big attack soon.  
  
There's something you will be interested in knowing. Due to the new threat, wizards above their third year are now allowed to use magic not only to defend themselves, but also so they will be able to practice during summer. It seems parents were insisting in giving their children extra lessons. You'll probably receive the letter in a few days since they are still arranging everything.  
  
Zach, I need you to promise me you'll be careful. I know you feel guilty for Cedric's dead, don't try to deny it. I also know that you're nervous about what is going to happen in a few days, believe me when I say I'm scared to death. But I don't want you to take stupid risks. Believe it or not, I need you, Older Brother.  
  
Keep safe, Zachary, and try not to become too depressed, ok?  
  
I'll see you on the train,  
  
Love  
  
Chiara.  
  
Harry sighed. Hermione was starting to know him too well. She was right in the last part of the letter; he felt incredibly guilty about Cedric, but right now, he was more worried about the charms going down. At least the news of Fudge acknowledging Voldemort's return seemed to give him some hope, and the use of magic would make his life easier.  
  
He sighed once again when his aunt started to scream for him to get down. He couldn't wait for the letter.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
A few days later, on the night before his birthday, Harry was sitting in front of the window waiting for the usual gifts that came from his friends. He was aware that he was a bit early this year, but he couldn't help it. It was either sitting there or pacing around the room, and knowing Uncle Vernon as he did, the latter would not be appreciated. As the hour approached, he grew more nervous; he didn't know what to expect, he didn't even know when to expect it. He hoped it would be over before day came; he didn't fancy the idea of starting to change while cooking Dudley's breakfast, especially because he hadn't received the letter Hermione had said he would concerning his magic.  
  
He had been completely distracted by that thought, so when the clock struck midnight, it caught him by surprise. He waited for a long moment to see if anything was going to happen, but ten minutes later he gave up and turned his attention to the owls waiting for him, a frown marring his face. Settling comfortably on the bed, he opened the first one, which held Ron's letter.  
  
Hello Harry,  
  
Happy Birthday  
  
Well, I guess you're officially 'Zach' now, aren't you? You have to send me a picture or I'll not be able to recognize you. Did you hear about us being able to use magic? Mom has been giving us lessons from the moment we got the letter. They are hard, but kind of interesting. If you tell Chiara I said that I'd deny it! We have asked Dumbledore to allow you to come several times, but he says you're safer there. Do you think the old man knows what's going on with you and Chiara? Have you heard from your father? Owl me soon mate, I'm concerned.  
  
Ron.  
  
Harry shook his head, wondering why he hadn't changed yet, then he sighed and opened his present; it was a small chess set with a book about chess, it seemed Ron was starting to get tired to beat him every time. Smiling, Harry put the chess set aside and took the next letter. To his surprise, it was from the ministry and it told him that he could use his magic over the summer. He had started to think Dumbledore had arranged it so he wouldn't receive the note. He shouldn't mistrust the man so much, but well, he had reasons enough to not trust anyone but Ron and Chiara. The next letter was a short note from Padfoot, telling him he was at Lupin's and that he would give him his present later since it seemed he couldn't send it. After that came the usual letter from Hagrid with a few of his sweets, which Harry decided to give to Dudley as soon as he could, followed by the letter from Hogwarts telling him what he needed for his fifth year and, much to his shock, informing him he had been selected as one of the prefects. Groaning, he threw the letter on the desk, he should have known. Finally, he turned to the last letter, which happened to come from Hermione.  
  
Hello Zach,  
  
And don't tell me I can't call you that, because now there's nothing you can do about it anymore. How did the change go? I've been trying to read all I can about it but the few books I have that talk about it are pretty vague, and I don't know what to expect. Please, I'm really nervous and would feel much better if I knew what to expect. Have you received the letter from the ministry? And the one from Hogwarts? I can't believe they have chosen you of all people as a prefect; no offence, but you've broken more rules than most students would do in their lifetime. Come to think of it, so have I. What are McGonagall and Dumbledore thinking? Do you think it has something to do with Professor Snape? Maybe I should start calling him 'Uncle Sev'. I would like to know what he has told them, and even if he has told them anything at all. Has he got in contact with you? He hasn't said anything to me yet, but I'm not really sure if he knows I'm Chiara.  
  
I think I'm ranting, but I'm really nervous and I don't really know what will happen. I hope you're taking it better than I am; else you're driving the Dursleys insane. Not that it would be a bad thing.  
  
There I go again, never mind, I'll see you in a few days, Zach. After I've gone through the change, I'll get my parents to bring me to your house, even if it is to see you for one evening and to make sure you're doing alright.  
  
Love,  
  
Chiara.  
  
Harry folded the letter carefully. Ron and Chiara had both talked about the change and about his father. He would have to wait to answer them until he changed, if he did. On the other hand, he tried to tell himself that he didn't mind that the man hadn't even tried to tell him anything, but he knew that was a lie. It hurt him a lot that his father hadn't done anything even now that the charms were about to vanish. Going to lay on the bed, Harry closed his eyes. What was going to happen tomorrow? What would happen when he went back to Hogwarts? And most importantly, what would his father do? Would he really allow him to go around this way without trying to explain? Would he have to tell others of what he knew? Harry shook his head forcefully. He wasn't going to go around telling anyone anything. He had told Chiara and Ron, if anyone else wanted to know, they would have to go and see his father about it; he refused to do the man's work for him. Picking up his wand, which he held under his pillow, he cast a silencing charm around the room and then locked the door. He wouldn't be ordered around on his birthday if he could help it.  
  
To be continued.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	7. Suspicions

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Truths.  
  
Harry woke up pretty late the next day, because, thanks to the silencing charm, his aunt hadn't been able to wake him up, and he was thankful for that. Slowly, he dressed himself in his usually hand-me-down-clothes, noticing that they were too short for him and still much too wide, and then he slowly walked downstairs. The whole family was sitting in the kitchen and looked up when he came in. Silently he ignored his uncle when he stood up, already purple faced, standing calmly before him, he extended the letter. "Read this before you start screaming." He watched as his uncle read the letter and grew pale. Then the fat man ripped the letter in two and turned his scared eyes to him. "I won't allow it!"  
  
Harry looked at him calmly. "There's not much you can do about it. And if you have anymore complaints, I'll be more than happy to tell my godfather for you."  
  
At that moment, he thought the old man was going to faint. In the end he pulled himself together and sat down, starting to talk with his wife and son in soft tones. Harry ignored them; he took a glass of juice and was about to walk out of the kitchen when a searing pain ran through his body. The sound of breaking glass startled the Dursleys out of their conversation just in time to see their nephew fall down, his eyes tightly shut in pain. The only thing Harry was aware of was the pain that cursed through his body and the sound of someone screaming. At first he thought he was doing the horrible sound, but he soon realized he had his mouth tightly shut. Opening his eyes slightly, he was able to see the legs of his relatives pressing against the far wall. Slowly, everything started to make sense, and the screams turned to shouts from his Uncle, demanding he stopped whatever he was doing at once. The pain finally left his body, and, taking his wand out of his pocket, he stood up slowly, leaning most of his weight on a wooden chair. Blinking, he turned his gaze towards his so called family and couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed their horrified eyes and pale features.  
  
Getting himself together, Vernon started to advance to him, rage evident in his eyes. Acting on reflex, Harry raised his wand to him and made him stop dead in his tracks. Dudley screamed again and finally gathered enough courage to run to the door and leave the kitchen. Petunia on the other hand stood frozen on her spot against the wall. Panting slightly, Harry sat down on the chair he had been leaning against. With slightly shaking hands, he served himself another glass of juice and turned his attention to his aunt. "I apologise for the scene, I didn't mean to change in front of you, but I had little choice in the matter."  
  
Harry was half surprised at his voice, it was much deeper than it had been and it was much like his father's. Shaking that thought out of his head, he turned his attention towards his aunt who had moved to the motionless Vernon. "Don't worry, he'll wake up in a few moments." Standing up, the teen sighed and nodded towards them. "I'm going upstairs and see what I look like now. Don't bother me and I will not bother you either."  
  
Walking out of the kitchen, he was aware that he could have done much more to the Dursleys, he could have taken his revenge after all those years, but something in him didn't really want it. As long as they left him alone he didn't see the need to do anything. Entering his room, he immediately went to the mirror he had placed there last night, wanting to know what he looked like now. The image that met his eyes was stunning. The first thing he noticed was that he had most certainly grown. He was probably just as tall as Ron and his limbs were longer. He was just as thin as he had been, but now it looked even worse due to his length. His features had become sharper, clearly to mirror his father's, yet he still retained his mother's eyes and nose. His hair was lighter than it had been, he could even see a red tint to it, and it now reached his shoulders. All in all, Harry decided he didn't look all that bad. He certainly looked like Professor Snape, but he wasn't a carbon copy of him; many of his features were his mother's and somehow it all seemed to fit better this way.  
  
Sighing he sank into his chair and turned his thoughts to the Dursleys, wondering why he hadn't done anything; it hurt to admit that it was because even if they didn't like him, they had taken him in, when his own father hadn't. Resolutely, he pulled out a book from under his bed; he would have to remember to take his trunk upstairs next time he went out of his room. He opened his book; he didn't want to think about the man, he shouldn't think about the man. He would always be his teacher and nothing more.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
A few days later, Harry was lying on the front lawn, reading his transfiguration's text when he was startled by the shadow of someone standing over him. Looking up, he was startled to see the pale face of a girl. From what he could see, she was beautiful with bright blue eyes, long blond hair, and pale features. Sitting up, he looked closer at her grinning face; she looked a lot like Malfoy. His mind stopped short at that last thought.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he looked at her once again and softly said; "Chiara?"  
  
The girl's smile widened. "You look very handsome, Zach."  
  
The boy jumped up and hugged her tightly. "You're looking very beautiful yourself, Chi."  
  
The girl laughed lightly. "Thanks. What were you reading?"  
  
Harry shrugged a bit and sat down. "Just transfiguration, it's not as if I have much to do around here." He paused for a moment before asking; "What are you doing here, Chiara?"  
  
The girl stayed quiet for a few moments. "My parents are looking for a house."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow. "How comes?"  
  
The girl looked at him intently. "We've been living there for many years, Zach. How can you explain to the muggles that your daughter suddenly looks completely different? Not only that, but we would attract too many unwanted attention."  
  
Harry nodded in understanding. Of course, such a thing was likely to attract not only the wizarding world's attention, but also Voldemort's. "So you're looking for a house here?"  
  
Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yes, my parents asked me if I had any preferences, and since I could choose, I asked for some place close to either you or Ron. It seems there's no muggle village near where Ron lives so we've come here to see if we can find anything."  
  
They stayed silent for a few long moments before Hermione spoke again. "So, you didn't answer my question when you wrote me back. Have you heard anything from your father?"  
  
Harry tensed next to her. "No."  
  
Hermione looked at him and then nodded, understanding the deep sadness and pain etched in his eyes. "I see."  
  
Looking closer, she noticed the clothes he was wearing seemed to fit him even worse than before. Smiling at her sudden idea, she took his hand and forced him to get up. Harry stumbled a bit before regaining his balance. "Chiara! What are you doing?"  
  
The girl laughed and started to drag him away from the house. "We are going to get you some decent clothes."  
  
Harry blushed a bit but started to struggle against her grip. "But Chi, I don't have any money here, much less muggle money!"  
  
The girl shrugged. "No matter, we'll ask some of my parents, and you can repay us when we go to Diagon Alley."  
  
Harry tried to say more, but his friend didn't want to listen to him and just kept walking.  
  
Neither noticed when they passed an old lady on their way to find Hermione's parents. The woman glanced at them questioningly, wondering who they were since she had never seen them before, and they seemed familiar. After she saw the pair disappear around the corner, she turned to gaze at the house they had just come from. Her placid expression changed into a frown when she noticed it was the Dursley's house. She hadn't seen Harry in a few days and the sudden appearance of two unknown teenagers made her nervous. Quickly, she hurried back to her house; she had to warn Dumbledore, especially now that she had figured out why the two teens seemed familiar. She could swear the girl was a Malfoy; she had the same eyes and hair as Lucius, but yet her features weren't the same. On the other hand, the boy strongly reminded her of Severus Snape. Yes, she needed to speak with Dumbledore.  
  
Using the emergency portkey she always kept in her house, she arrived at Hogsmeade and started the short walk up to the castle. Once she entered, she noticed the time and headed towards the Great Hall, since everyone would be there having lunch. She was not very surprised to see several people sitting in the Hall, most of the teachers had foregone their holidays and decided to stay at the castle to help Dumbledore out; besides them, several aurors and other members of the Order of the Phoenix were sitting there talking softly. Everyone stopped to look at her when she hurried in. The old headmaster rose slowly from his seat, clearly wondering why she was there.  
  
"Welcome, Arabella, we weren't expecting you."  
  
The old woman stopped before him and nodded her head slightly, and then she glanced at the Potions Master, who was looking at her in disinterest. She couldn't help but wonder what those black eyes were hiding.  
  
"Arabella?"  
  
She snapped her attention back to Dumbledore. "I apologise. Something a bit strange happened today at Privet Drive, Albus."  
  
The old man frowned slightly and motioned for her to sit down in an empty seat at the circular table. "Is young Mr. Potter in danger?"  
  
The woman sat down and shook her head slightly. "Not as far as I know. It's just, I saw two strange teens coming out from his house."  
  
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "The boy is allowed to have friends, Arabella."  
  
The woman scowled at him. "Might I remind you, Albus, that Harry has not had any muggle friends.ever. The Dursley boy made sure of it."  
  
The headmaster's eyes saddened a bit, and he held up his hands. "Maybe they came to see the Dursley boy?"  
  
"That could be, except for the fact that the girl looked like a Malfoy."  
  
Everyone's attention turned towards her. Dumbledore was now frowning. "A Malfoy? Are you sure, Arabella?"  
  
The woman saw him glance slightly towards the potions master but the younger man didn't seem to notice; he was growing paler by the minute, and he seemed to be trying to remember something. Turning towards the old man, she nodded slightly. "Yes, very sure. Who wouldn't recognize that hair?"  
  
Dumbledore turned towards his potions master. "Severus, do you know who it might be? I wasn't aware that the Malfoys had any girl in their family of Harry's age."  
  
The younger man snapped out of his pensive mood and looked at him through hooded black eyes. Dumbledore frowned following the man's thoughts, and in a soft voice, he tried to comfort him. "Severus, Dalila died all those years back, remember? It couldn't be her."  
  
Severus rolled his eyes slightly, but ignored his words, turning towards the woman. "What about the boy, Arabella?"  
  
The woman shifted uncomfortably. "The boy looked just like you, Severus."  
  
The potions master nodded but didn't look very surprised at the news. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was looking more worried by the minute. Everyone else was looking on silently. Most knew what this was about; they had all known about Severus' children and their tragic end.  
  
Dumbledore's firm voice broke the strained silence. "Severus, those two teens can not be Dalila and Darrick; they are dead."  
  
The old man looked worried at his potions master, who had by now stood up. The young man turned to him with a twinkle in his black eyes and a small smile on his lips, which made Dumbledore even more uncomfortable.  
  
"It's reassuring to know that I am still able to keep some things from you, Albus."  
  
Everyone frowned. "What do you mean, Severus?"  
  
The younger man didn't reply, instead he picked up his cloak and put it around his shoulders, clearly intending to leave. Dumbledore stood up too, wondering how he would convince the other man that his son and daughter couldn't be alive. He was very well aware how much their deaths had hurt the younger wizard, but he had thought he was over it. Before he had the chance to say anything, the doors slammed open for the second time. Standing there was a strange teenager. Arabella noticed he looked a lot like the girl she had seen barely an hour ago. The young man seemed to be in shock and was looking around with frantic eyes. His eyes finally locked with the dark eyes of the potions master and he ran to his arms.  
  
"Uncle Sev! Dad said I wasn't his son, why did he say that? Why did I change? I asked him but he told me that if I had to know, I had to come and talk to you. He said he would disown me if I came, but I needed to know the truth, please, Uncle Sev, what's going on?"  
  
Everyone was frozen in place, slowly coming to the same conclusion. Severus was the only one that didn't show any surprise; instead, he looked annoyed, muttering about idiot Malfoys, while hugging the boy against him.  
  
The old headmaster sat heavily down and looked at the teenager. "Severus?"  
  
The younger man looked up and his scowl was replaced with a smirk. "Mmh, did you know that Lucius Malfoy isn't able to have children?"  
  
Many unbelieving looks met his amused gaze, Dumbledore looked at him surprised. "You mean it was Lucius who killed..."  
  
Severus' eyes turned sad and he looked down at his godson. "Yes. Lucius needed an heir, and since he couldn't get one of his own, he decided to take his sister's son. At first he demanded she give Darrick to him, but she refused, and it became her death."  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "All this time you knew..."  
  
Snape looked up with furious eyes. "And what should I have done? Voldemort approved, and if I had gone against him, you would not only have lost your spy, but I would be dead. And after Voldemort, do you honestly think anyone would believe me over Malfoy?" Stroking the boy's hair, he continued in a soft voice. "Even if I didn't want it, I knew Darrick would have a good childhood with Lucius, maybe even better than what I could have given him."  
  
Remus, who had been sitting silently until now, spoke. "Then, the girl Arabella saw was Dalila?"  
  
Snape nodded slightly. "Probably." Assuming they wanted an explanation, he continued. "Lucius didn't want nor did he need Dalila, so Voldemort gave her back to me with the express orders to kill her; after all, her appearance would show that the children hadn't died, and everyone would start to wonder about Malfoy's son."  
  
Remus grimaced. "That's sick."  
  
Snape rolled his eyes. "We're talking about Voldemort, Lupin, he is sick. Obviously, I couldn't kill her, so I put her in a muggle orphanage knowing that being still young, she had a good chance to be adopted. At first I wanted to keep track of her, but soon decided it would be much safer if I just didn't know; this way no one would be able to force me to tell them where she was."  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "How did you conceal her appearance? It would be easy to track her down looking like a Malfoy. Besides, young Mister Malfoy seems to have changed a great deal too."  
  
Severus frowned; they were starting to get to parts of his history he didn't want to tell, not yet at least. "Lily helped me."  
  
A few heads snapped up, Lupin being the first to speak. "Lily knew about this?"  
  
Severus nodded reluctantly. "You know she was the best in charms, she charmed Dalila and made sure the concealment charms wouldn't drop until her fifteenth birthday. That was yesterday. I'm guessing Lucius did the same to Darrick to make him look like him."  
  
Sighing, he held up a hand before anyone could question him further. "Look, I understand you have a lot of questions, and I can already tell you there's a lot more to this story than you know, but if I start now, I won't get around to pick up Dalila and her friend. I only want to tell things once and they need to hear it too." He grimaced slightly. "I should have gone to get them long ago, at least Zach; he probably loathes me right now, not that I blame him."  
  
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Zach?"  
  
Severus nodded sadly. "Later, Albus." Turning towards the boy that was still clinging to him, he spoke softly. "Do you want to stay here, or do you want to come with me."  
  
The teen hugged him closer. "I want to come."  
  
Severus nodded and pried his arms from his waist, keeping one of the boy's hands in his. "Come on then." Turning to the room, he nodded slightly. "I'll be back soon."  
  
Without another word they left the hall, leaving behind a confused and curious group.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	8. Fetching the kids

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 8.  
  
Harry was lying tiredly in his bed that evening; he would have to remind himself to never go shopping with Chiara ever again. It had been enjoyable at the beginning, but the girl had too much energy for him to keep up with. He didn't understand how she could bounce from a shop to another without getting tired. He had tried hundreds of outfits, or so it seemed. In the end, he had just let her pick what she thought was best, and after that, he had dragged her to a small cafe to have lunch. Her parents met them there; they had found a house and had already stated that they wanted to move in there as soon as possible. Chiara laughed quietly, knowing her parents were probably thinking it would take them several weeks. Still laughing, Chiara told them Harry and her would take care of packing everything, and they would be able to move in that same day. Slightly disbelieving but still trusting their daughter, Mrs. Granger drove them back towards their old house while Mr. Granger went to sign the papers.  
  
For an hour, he and Chiara had been swishing their wands, putting shrinking charms on everything and putting it all in a box. Mrs. Granger had come back an hour later to find her house empty and only a box lying on the floor. She had told them they better be able to put it all right again, or they would be in serious trouble. Chiara had merely laughed, and they had gone back towards the new house.  
  
Zach had left a bit later, allowing the Grangers to put their things away in peace. Reluctantly, he returned to the Dursley's house, where he currently was trying to relax his tired limbs. He was dozing slightly, when the doorbell rang downstairs.  
  
Petunia, hearing the doorbell, dropped the rag she had been using and walked towards the door, knowing that her nephew was not going to get it. Opening the door slightly, she was met with a tall man and a teenager. Opening the door further, she couldn't help but openly gape at the man. He looked just like the new Harry; something was going on here. Her train of thought was broken when the dark man cleared his throat.  
  
"Sorry, can I help you?"  
  
She wasn't really surprised at the next words. "We're looking for Harry Potter."  
  
Petunia grimaced in distaste but opened the door wider, motioning them inside. She knew they would get in either way, so she might as well keep her door intact. Turning towards the stairs, she raised her voice. "Boy! There are people here to see you! Come downstairs at once."  
  
While the blonde teenager was looking around, the older man frowned at the tone of voice the woman had used. He could clearly hear the dislike in her voice, but surely it wasn't turned towards Harry. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Looking up, his breath stopped suddenly. Arabella had been right; he looked just like him. The teenager had also stopped short, halfway down the stairs. His eyebrows shot up, and he slowly continued walking until he was in front of Snape. Looking at the teen standing next to his father, he noticed he looked much like Chiara, so it wasn't difficult to guess it was Heron. He tried to ignore the fact that the other teen was clutching his father's hand while he had to pretend to not know anything about him; Harry felt jealous, but he could hardly do anything about it.  
  
Severus didn't miss the jealous look the other teen had shot to Darrick, and he started to wonder how much his son really knew. The fact that he was with Chiara and the fact that he hadn't told anyone about his change of appearance hinted that the boy knew a lot more than he thought. Yet, the boy would have confronted him if he had known; he was a Gryffindor after all, and there was no way he could have found out, only he knew the truth. So, why was the boy jealous? Looking at the woman that was barely hiding her dislike towards the boy, he guessed that maybe Zach's life hadn't been as easy as he had supposed. He shook his head slightly, he couldn't think about this now; he needed to keep a clear head, and the guilt that was right now threatening to take over wasn't helping. Finally, Harry's soft voice broke the strained silence.  
  
"You wanted to see me, Professor Snape?"  
  
The man snapped his attention back towards the boy. Nodding slightly, he tried to make his voice soft and comforting, because he knew that in a few short hours, he would probably have three distraught teenagers on his hands and there was no need to upset them further. "Yes, you are needed at Hogwarts. Can you pack your things? You won't be returning here."  
  
Harry nodded slightly and turned to go back up the stairs but Snape's voice stopped him. "Harry."  
  
The boy tensed and turned slightly. "Professor?"  
  
"You were seen today with a girl. Can you warn her? She's also coming with us."  
  
Harry couldn't help but glance at the other teenager and nod slightly, wondering all the time what was going on with him. Not once had he opened his mouth to insult him; he just looked sad and confused. Instead of going upstairs, he walked towards the telephone and picked it up. Turning his back towards the other three, he spoke shortly and quietly through it before hanging up. Turning towards Snape, he nodded.  
  
"She'll be here in ten minutes."  
  
Without another word, the boy turned around and walked up the stairs. Draco, who had been looking at everything curiously, turned towards his uncle. "Uncle Sev, are you sure that was Potter? He... he really didn't act like I expected him to. I thought he would have insulted me and you and have asked a lot of questions."  
  
Severus looked pensively up the stairs. "It was him, yes." Looking towards the boy's aunt, who was still glaring at them, he couldn't help but wonder how much he really knew about Harry. All the way to Privet Drive he had been trying to figure out a way to try and get Potter to come with him without having to talk too much or getting too annoyed. He didn't want to start his confessions being irritated with the boy or things could get out of hand. But here he was, not one single question had come out of the boy; he had simply nodded in acceptance. What had happened to the fiery Gryffindor that had left Hogwarts a month ago, could there be something wrong with him? He would have to find out; if he was going to spill his secrets, he might as well take the boy in as he had always wished to do. Looking at the aunt, he saw the happy gleam deep in her eyes, which only confirmed the thought that she didn't like him. Yes, taking Zach to live with him would be the best. At least it would be if the boy accepted him, which would probably take a lot of time and a lot of convincing.  
  
Sighing, he looked up when he heard Harry walk down the stairs again. He was now wearing black jeans and a white shirt, replacing the casual T-shirt and shorts he had been wearing. He wasn't wearing robes, but Snape supposed he didn't have any that fit him. Harry had just reached the stairs when the door behind them opened. The girl that strolled in was nearly identical to Draco. Both blonde teens stopped short and looked at each other for a long while. Finally, the girl nodded slightly to her brother, and Severus couldn't help but notice she didn't look very surprised either. He told himself that Harry had probably warned her and didn't think more about it. The girl turned towards him and nodded her head again.  
  
"Professor Snape."  
  
Well, that answered the question about if she attended Hogwarts; he had always hoped that she did. "Good evening Miss..."  
  
She raised an eyebrow but didn't answer his silent question. Instead she walked towards Harry and gently kissed his cheek. "Hey, Harry."  
  
Twinkling green eyes met her own. "Hello, Hermione."  
  
From the corner of their eyes they looked towards the other two. They were rewarded by shocked looks, and they had trouble keeping their laughter in check. Finally, Professor Snape managed to gather his thoughts and gently squeezed Draco's hand. "We need to get going."  
  
The three teenagers turned their gaze towards him, and he pulled out a necklace he always used as portkey. He had not counted on Harry's reaction to it. The boy went deathly pale and stumbled backwards, trying to get as far away of it despite the fact that Hermione was clutching his arm. The girl looked up at her best friend and turned her worried gaze towards the puzzled professor. "I don't think that's a good idea, Professor, the Tournament..."  
  
Understanding dawned in the man's eyes, and he silently cursed himself; he should have remembered. On the other hand, he couldn't apparate with the three teens at the same time, and he wasn't about to go back and forth, leaving them unprotected. Trying to ponder on the best solution, the answer was given by Draco.  
  
"Why don't Gra... Hermione and I take the portkey and you can apparate with Potter?"  
  
Hermione quickly gazed towards the other teen and couldn't hold back a small grateful smile. The boy nervously smiled back, obviously not used to it. Looking back towards Professor Snape, she saw the man nod slightly. "That might be the best. The portkey will bring you to the Hospital wing; everyone is expecting us at the Great Hall."  
  
Hermione couldn't help but wonder who everyone was, but instead of asking, she turned to Harry, who was still shaking slightly, eyes firmly on the portkey. Tugging at his arm, she made him look at her and bend down slightly so she could whisper in his ear.  
  
Snape didn't know what she was telling him, but it obviously helped because a little colour returned to his cheeks. Nodding, the dark haired boy disentangled his arm from her hands and stepped back a bit more. After throwing a concerned glance to him, Chiara stepped forth and put a hand on the portkey at the same time that Draco did. With a soft pop, both teens disappeared and Snape turned to Harry, who had a glazed look in his eyes. Carefully, not wanting to startle the boy, he went to his side and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?"  
  
The boy's head snapped up and looked him in the eye. He couldn't help but feel confused; he had always imagined that when the time came to confront his father, the man would be cold and uncaring, trying to get rid of him as quickly as possible. But this wasn't the man he knew, the man he loathed; could it be that this was Sev? His mother's husband? The man his mother had come to love? He couldn't help but feel that he was, and he suddenly understood why his mother had felt that this man could be loved. But did he dare? Did he dare to give his trust and love to this man that had made his live a living hell for the past four years? He didn't know, but what he knew was that thanks to the small glance he had had of Sev, he now was ready to try.  
  
The man squeezed his shoulder, obviously worried about the long silence. "Harry?"  
  
The teen blinked and then looked down. "Sorry, Professor. I'm fine."  
  
Snape doubted it but didn't say anything else. He dropped the arm from the teen's shoulders and took his hand. Gently, he pushed him outside, the boy's trunk floating behind him.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie and to Leena for her wonderful ideas. (Yes, yes, I'm going to say it, the part about Harry changing at breakfast was her idea ^.^) 


	9. The truth comes out

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 9.  
  
As Professor Snape had told them, Draco and Hermione arrived at the Hospital wing. Chiara had expected to see Madam Pomfrey working around the room, but the nurse wasn't there. With a wave of her wand she put her trunk on the ground and turned towards her twin, who was looking at her intently.  
  
"Is there something wrong?"  
  
The boy blinked but shook his head. "No, sorry. It's just... you look so much like me, it's strange."  
  
The girl nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean, we're just lucky we're not used to our new appearances yet."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I also had a concealing charm on me?"  
  
Hermione looked at him intently, wondering if she should hint that she knew who he really was. In the end, she shrugged her shoulders and nodded. "Good point, I just guessed."  
  
Draco seemed satisfied with the answer and smiled slightly to her. Hermione couldn't help but wonder what was up with him; he wasn't acting like she expected him to. Breaking through her thoughts, she motioned for him to get a move; Snape had said they were expected in the Great Hall so they may as well get there.  
  
They made their way silently, thousands of questions were flying through Darrick's head; he longed to ask them aloud, but, knowing that the girl walking at his side was probably even more confused than him, he kept quiet. Even before they reached the Hall, they could hear many voices coming from it. Draco fidgeted nervously, wondering what everyone thought of him after his little panic attack. Hermione didn't seem to notice it, and she firmly pushed the door open, walking inside.  
  
All conversations stopped as everyone turned to look at the girl that had just come in. Hermione felt Draco standing behind her and started to walk into the room. The headmaster rose from his seat and nodded towards the two teenagers.  
  
"Where is Severus? Where there any problems?"  
  
Hermione shook her head slightly. "No, he just apparated with... my friend."  
  
She didn't know how much the potions master had told them, but she was not about to reveal anything. Sighing slightly, she sat down in one of the empty seats, trying to ignore the curious looks everyone was giving them. Draco sat next to her and looked around the room. It seemed Dumbledore had sent some people away, because only some of the teachers, Lupin, and the older Weasley brothers remained. Looking at his side, he wondered if anyone knew that the girl sitting next to him was Granger. Probably not, after all, not even Snape had known who she was until Potter had said her name. He couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't saying anything to them; after all she had to be as confused as he was. But looking intently at her, he couldn't help but feel that she knew exactly what was going on. The girl looked at him suddenly, catching his stare.  
  
"Do I have something on my face?"  
  
That caused chuckles from everyone else. Before he had the chance to reply, Snape appeared in the room followed by Potter. The dark haired boy looked much better than he had at his aunts'. Everyone's attention turned towards the pair, and Draco could hear several gasps coming from them. Harry seemed to notice too, but he chose to ignore it. Instead, he moved quietly to where Granger was sitting. Without sharing a word, the girl stood up allowing her friend to sit down, and after he had done so, she sat on his lap, leaning her head against his shoulder so she could still see everyone seated at the table.  
  
Snape put his cloak away and went to sit next to Harry, and if you looked carefully into his eyes, you could see how nervous the man was; it was obvious he wasn't looking forward to the explanations they would demand. Unluckily for him, Dumbledore wanted to know what was going on and soon, so he stood up drawing everyone's attention. "Severus, I think you owe us all an explanation, but first of all, why don't you introduce your young friends to us."  
  
Snape rubbed his eyes tiredly. "So as to not make things even more confusing, I suggest we call them by the names they have been known until now." Nodding towards the blond teen, the dark haired man made the introductions. "This is Draco Malfoy." The young boy looked towards the other two teens, expecting to see animosity, but to his surprise, they just calmly looked back at him; yes, there was something seriously wrong with them. Snape didn't seem to see his godson's puzzled look and continued speaking. "The young lady is Hermione Granger." Several gasps met his words and everyone turned towards the girl, who just nodded her head, confirming that she was indeed Hermione. "And the boy is Harry Potter."  
  
Everyone was even more shocked, Lupin rose from his seat, and his eyes firmly kept on his friend's son. The teen carelessly passed a hand through his hair, briefly showing the famous scar. The werewolf blinked slightly. "Is it really you, Harry?"  
  
The teen nodded. "Yes, Professor, it's me."  
  
Remus sank back into his chair and turned his burning eyes towards the Potions Master. "What's going on, Severus?"  
  
The man sighed and rubbed his eyes once again, wondering how on earth he should explain this. Finally, drawing a breath, he started to speak. "I guess it all started when we still attended Hogwarts. I don't know how many of you are aware of it, but during my fifth year, Lily and I started dating. Around the same time, James also found his partner, but it wasn't Lily, it was Angela Malfoy." Several people looked at him disbelieving, but he continued, trying to gather his thoughts. "When Lucius started to get suspicious, we had to come up with a way to hide our relationships. My parents and the Malfoy family had been pressuring me to start a relationship with Angela, so we just did that. Potter and Lily got together a few days later as did Angela and I. I don't think anyone ever figured out the truth, not even when we started to keep all those tutoring lessons." McGonagall and Dumbledore nodded, remembering that they had thought it was odd at the time. "When we neared the end of seventh year, we were once again being pressured into marrying. And we did, we just didn't exactly do it the way our parents expected. Angela arranged it all; as every Malfoy, she had a lot of friends and she managed to get us married just before we took our NEWTs. After that, her friends also helped to stage the 'official' marriages."  
  
Everyone was now openly gapping at him; how had they managed to keep this a secret from everyone? The only ones who didn't look surprised were Harry and Hermione; instead, they were enjoying the looks of their shocked teachers, something you weren't able to see every day. Luckily, no one had noticed their amused gazes yet. Lupin was probably the most shocked out of the group. He had been a close friend of the Potters, well, with James and Lily, and he never suspected anything. "Good god, you were married to Lily, and no one ever found out? How on earth did you manage it?"  
  
The other man shrugged slightly. "Sometimes it was hard, but it was better than being married to someone you didn't love. But let's get back on track. As you knew, we all had children. Angela and James had twins." He nodded towards the two blondes. "They named them Chiara and Heron, even though their official names were Dalila and Darrick. Lily and I had a son, Zachary."  
  
His gaze turned towards the black haired teen, and for the first time, he realized that he didn't look surprised. He didn't have much time to ponder, because just then Draco had jumped up from his chair and was looking wildly at him. "Wait a second; you're saying I'm Potter's son?"  
  
Severus nodded slightly. Now that was more along the reaction he had been expecting from the children. Draco sank back into his chair and buried his head in his hands. "This has to be a nightmare."  
  
Some of the other in the room even nodded in agreement, earning them a glare from the Potions Master. Draco finally turned his attention towards his twin sister, only to find her dozing against Harry's shoulder. That was too much for the teen. Springing up again, he fully turned towards his sister, a blush of anger marring his pale cheeks.  
  
"Granger! How can you sleep at a time like this?"  
  
Harry, who had also been leaning tiredly against his chair, looked up, a bit startled about the sudden noise. The girl in his lap opened a lazy eye and looked at her furious twin. "What's wrong; is it already time to start ranting and raving about how James cannot be our father?" The sudden silence was deafening, everyone was now staring at her. Hermione ignored them and turned towards her best friend. "Mmh, I'll take the silence as yes, it's time, but I really never have had a problem with James being my father. Should I rant about a Malfoy being my mother? What do you think, Zach?"  
  
The boy shook his head slightly, his amused eyes darting around the room before settling on her again. "You can rant about what ever you wish, rant about Lucius Malfoy being your uncle for all I care, but let me rest, that little trip of yours was really tiring."  
  
Chiara pouted. "Was not, you needed the clothes." Then smiling brightly, she voiced in a sweet voice. "Why don't you rant about Professor Snape being your father?"  
  
Harry shrugged. " No need, I got over that ages ago."  
  
Hermione snorted. "Sure you did, Mister 'lets-ignore-it-all'."  
  
Zach laughed softly. "Hey, what can I say? It was easier that way."  
  
Chiara raised an eyebrow. "And you're supposed to be a Gryffindor."  
  
Harry stretched his arms, but before he could continue with the lighthearted banter, a soft voice interrupted them.  
  
"How long have you known?"  
  
As one, the two teens dropped their smiles and turned towards the pale potions master. Narrowing his eyes, Harry firmly closed his mouth; he wasn't about to talk to the man. That he had accepted the truth didn't mean anything. Not even the fact that Snape had been nice today would make him trust him. Chiara, sensing that her friend wasn't going to answer, decided to talk. "Zach found out about three years ago; I did last year."  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie and to Leena for her support. 


	10. In Snape's care

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 10.  
  
The silence was deafening; no one dared to speak. Snape was deathly pale. All these years his son had known the truth, and he had never said anything. Why? Why hadn't he mentioned it? And how had he found out? In a soft voice, he voiced his questions. "Why did you never say anything? And how did you find out?"  
  
For a moment, it seemed Harry wasn't going to say anything, but after Chiara lightly nudged his side, he sighed and spoke. "I never saw why I should say anything; you have made your feelings towards me very clear. No matter what you think of me, I didn't relish the idea of being told flat out that I was hated by my own father."  
  
The man paled even further if that was possible. "I don't hate you."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Of course you don't." It was clear that Harry didn't believe him; before the man had the change to speak again and try to convince the teen, Harry answered his second question. "As for how I found out, during the summer after my first year here, I found my mother's diary. She had left it at my aunt's house knowing Voldemort wouldn't find it there and so you would stay protected. There were several things in the box that I'm sure you'll want to have back."  
  
Severus nodded slightly, too overwhelmed and trying to figure out what he should say. Draco, on the other hand, was completely buried in his own thoughts, trying to make sense of what his uncle had just told him. For years he had been making fun of Potter for being who he was, for not having parents, and now it turned out he was the one without parents, and to top it off, he was a Potter not Harry. It was a bit much to take in. Dumbledore seemed to see that everyone was too shocked or tired to really continue with the meeting, so he stood up. "I think that we should talk more about this tomorrow. You can all stay here for the night. Harry, Draco, Hermione, I can arrange rooms for you."  
  
Snape looked up from his musings and shook his head. "No, Albus. My son and godchildren are going to stay with me in my chambers."  
  
Dumbledore looked briefly at the teenagers. Draco didn't seem to care either way; the boy was probably trying to work through everything he had discovered. Harry, on the other hand, looked ready to protest, but Chiara was softly talking to him, obviously trying to convince him. Finally, the teen reluctantly nodded and Dumbledore told everyone they were dismissed.  
  
Snape stood up, silently followed by the three teenagers. He quickly led them towards the dungeons where he had already arranged rooms for them. He had known at the beginning of the summer that it would all come out, and he had wanted to be ready. No matter what they thought of him, his child and godchildren would be under his care as long as they stayed at the castle. Looking behind him, he was worried to see the children walking silently, not even Harry and Hermione were talking. It seemed they were too tired. They stopped in front of the painting of a snake; softly, he said the password, knowing the children would probably not remember it anyway. The chambers were dark, and he lit a few candles, not bothering to fully light the room since they would be going straight to bed. He walked to one of the doors and, opening it, motioned towards the three teens. They entered and saw a small hallway with five doors. Severus stopped in front of the first two. "These are the bedrooms; the two on the right are for Draco and Hermione, they are pretty much the same so you can choose the one you prefer." The two blonde teens looked at each other and shrugged slightly. Draco motioned to Hermione that she could choose the room and she opened the door to the first one. Snape then turned around and motioned to the other two rooms. "The room in front of Hermione's is mine, you can come in if you need anything; otherwise, please keep out. The room opposite from Draco's is yours, Harry. And the last door leads to the bathroom."  
  
The three teenagers nodded and waited to see if their professor had something else to say. Snape, seeing they were really tired, smiled hesitantly. "I'll call the house-elves to bring you some food to your rooms, and after you've had dinner, I want you to go to sleep, you are dead on your feet."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to argue, not because the man wasn't right, but just because he was ordering them around, and it made him uncomfortable. Sure, the man had ordered them around since they had first stepped into his potions classroom, but that had been different. The tone of voice he was using was different. While Professor Snape had always barked out orders, expecting everyone to comply them at once, Severus' voice was now filled with concern and he seemed more... parental, if you could imagine Professor Snape ever being parental.  
  
Before he had the chance to speak, Severus raised a hand slightly. "Eat and then to bed, Harry."  
  
The boy closed his mouth quickly, never had he been ordered around this way, but seeing that neither Hermione nor Draco seemed to be very shocked by it, he assumed it was just the parent coming out of Snape. Shaking his head slightly, he turned towards his room and opened the door.  
  
Hearing two other doors closing behind him, he decided to go in and close his own door too. As soon as he had done this, light flared along the walls, showing they were painted in a deep blue. The furniture was made of honey colour wood while the hangings around the big bed were made in light blue. Looking around, Harry couldn't help but feel at home; it was a very nice room, and he had a bit of trouble thinking that Professor Snape had managed to create it. Dropping his cloak in one of the chairs surrounding a small table, Harry walked towards his bed. He was about to open his trunk, when a soft pop announced someone's arrival. Looking up, he saw a house elf standing next to the table with a tray in his hands.  
  
"Professor Snape told Gigy to bring Mister Snape his dinner."  
  
Harry grimaced a bit at the title, but instead of correcting her, he just took the tray. "Thank you, Gigy."  
  
"Mister Snape is welcome."  
  
And with another soft pop, she disappeared from view. Harry regarded the tray for a few moments. He wasn't that hungry, but his father had made it clear that he wanted him to eat. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he wouldn't be surprised if Snape made sure they had eaten as he had said. Sighing, he sat down in front of the tray and picked up one of the sandwiches; he may be paranoid, but he was not going to take the chance and annoy the man. The professor had been nearly nice to them, and Harry was going to do all that was in his power to keep it that way. After all, the man hadn't told him to leave and never speak to him again. He had even given him a room of his own. For the first time since he had found out the truth about Snape, he started to questions the man's behaviour, and in a small place in his mind, he started to wonder if the man hated him as much as he had thought.  
  
Once he had finished eating, he stood up and moved to the bed. Picking up the new pyjamas Chiara had made him buy, he got dressed. Silently, he slipped into bed, ignoring the house elf that had come to retrieve his tray. He was tired and confused; for a long time he had feared the day that everything would come into the light, but now that it had finally happened, he just felt more confused than ever. Snape just didn't make sense.  
  
For nearly an hour he laid there, trying to find an explanation for his father's strange behaviour. His thoughts were starting to get number, and he was nearly asleep when he heard the door to his room open. After years at the Dursleys, he was awake at once but didn't move. His cousin had always enjoyed waking him up by throwing ice-cold water on him, and he had soon learned to wake up at the slightest sound of an opening door. Without moving, he opened his eyes slightly. He couldn't see much in the darkened room, but he saw the faint form of a man silently approaching his bed. Clutching his wand under his pillow, he stayed completely still, waiting to see what was going to happen. He was very shocked when gentle fingers ran through his hair, pulling it away from his face. Quickly, he closed his eyes all the way not wanting his father to notice he was awake. The gentle hands tucked him in tightly, and he felt a brush of lips against his forehead. Never had he been put to bed like this, and he could feel the burning of tears behind his eyelids. The gentle hand brushed his cheek, and the professor's soothing voice rang through the room.  
  
"Go to sleep, Zach, I promise you're safe here."  
  
Harry didn't know why, but suddenly, he felt completely at peace. He heard the man leave the room and move to another door, but by then he was already half asleep. Just before allowing the warm darkness to claim him, he realized he felt safe because, for the first time, his father had directly called him Zach.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie and to Leena for her support. 


	11. Plans for Summer

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 11.  
  
Harry woke up early the next morning. It had been a long time since he had felt so comfortable, and he was reluctant to open his eyes. He remembered all that had happened the previous day, and even though he still felt confused, he no longer had the urge to fight against everything Snape may say, as long as it was reasonable. Sighing, he realized he wasn't going to get any more sleep; his mind was too awake. Sitting up, he saw a bit of light coming from one of the windows. Moving the curtains aside, he was startled to see a small garden. Guessing it was charmed to be that way, Harry finally stood up and picked out clean clothes. On his way to the bathroom, he noticed it was eight in the morning and assumed the others would be still sleeping. Quickly, he cleaned up and decided to go and search for food.  
  
The Great Hall was fairly quiet, McGonagall was there reading the Daily Prophet and Flitwick was eating while reading a thin book. Both looked up and smiled at him. "Good morning, Mr. Snape."  
  
Harry grimaced slightly at his transfiguration teacher. "Good morning, Professors."  
  
The smaller teacher smiled up at him. "Albus told us what was going on, it was quite a shock."  
  
Harry couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "I know how you feel; I can't start to explain how I felt when I found out."  
  
McGonagall looked at him seriously. "You should have told someone."  
  
Harry pressed his lips together. "It was not my story to tell, Professor, and I would never have gone and talk to Professor Snape."  
  
Without waiting for an answer, the boy turned to his breakfast, taking only a bit since he still felt full from his dinner the night before. While Flitwick returned to his own breakfast, McGonagall seemed to be ready to say something more, but she was silenced by Snape's entrance. The tall man looked at them for a moment, before taking a seat next to his son. "Good morning."  
  
The boy looked at him from the corner of his eyes and nodded slightly. "Good morning, Professor."  
  
Slowly, more teachers joined them, greeting them in turn. Albus arrived smiling brightly, greeting everyone with a cheery smile. Draco and Hermione arrived together and sat at Harry's other side after formally exchanging greetings. They had been eating for a few minutes when Dumbledore lowered his cup and turned to face the three teenagers.  
  
"I need to know what you want to do. You can stay here for as long as you want, but if you think you'll be more comfortable elsewhere, neither Professor Snape nor I will stop you."  
  
Chiara shrugged lightly. "I need to go back to my parents, we had arranged another trip to the United States, and I don't want to miss it."  
  
Dumbledore nodded slightly. "I'll make you a portkey so you can leave this evening." Then he turned to the two boys. "What about you?"  
  
Draco pressed his lips together. "I would like to go away and think about things, but it's not like I can return to Malfoy Manor, and I doubt I could stay with other relatives, so I guess I'll be staying here."  
  
They stayed silent for a long moment, and Dumbledore was about to turn to Harry when Hermione spoke. "You can come with us, if you want. I'm sure my parents won't mind."  
  
Draco looked at her startled. "I wouldn't want to impose."  
  
She waved him away. "As long as you can promise me to behave properly towards them, I'm sure they won't mind." She looked at him intently. "You're my brother; I'm offering you the chance to become family. But if you do, you will have to accept my parents, and they are muggles."  
  
Draco stayed silent for a long while, the whole room awaiting his answer. Finally, the boy looked up at Chiara. "I know nothing about the muggle world, and I've been taught to hate anything that doesn't belong to the wizarding world, so I can't assure you it will be easy. But if you're willing to teach me all you know about muggles, then I'll come with you."  
  
His sister smiled brightly at him. "Deal. I'll owl my parents telling them to expect you." Then she turned to Harry. "Do you want to come with us, Zach?"  
  
She obviously felt a bit guilty for leaving him out of it, but the boy quickly shook his head. He understood her need to get to know her brother, and he wouldn't want to stand in their way. He looked at Draco for a long while and then spoke in a deadly cold voice. "If you hurt her, you're going to regret it."  
  
The other boy smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow. "I'm her brother, that's supposed to be my line."  
  
They shared a small smile and Chiara sighed. "Oh, God, two over-protective brothers, I'm not going to survive this."  
  
Everyone laughed brightly, amused by the children's antics. Finally, Dumbledore turned to Harry. "And what are you going to do, Zach?"  
  
The boy stopped smiling and looked at him for a long moment before turning to face his father, who was looking away. Pressing his lips together, trying to hide the hurt he was feeling, Harry turned to Dumbledore. "I'll go back to the Dursleys."  
  
Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and left. Hermione was about to follow him, but she saw the hurt look in Snape's face and decided it was better if she stayed. Picking up a sandwich, she spoke softly. "You do realize he wants to stay, don't you?"  
  
Snape turned to her, a frown etched on his face. "He just said he wanted to go."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "And if you knew Zach, you would know that to him anywhere is better than the Dursleys; he was willing to leave with Snuffles after meeting him half an hour before."  
  
The professor looked even more confused. "But then why didn't he say so?"  
  
Both teens groaned, unwilling to believe the man could be so dense. "Honestly, Uncle Sev, I don't know Zach as well as Chiara does, but even I can tell you that he doesn't like to be a bother to anyone."  
  
Hermione nodded. "He will do everything that's in his power to make sure everyone is as comfortable as he can. If you want him to stay, you will have to let him know that that's what you want, otherwise he's just going to leave, no matter what he really wants."  
  
Snape sighed deeply. "I'm not ready to be a father."  
  
Before anyone could comment, he stood up and left the room. Hermione and Draco finished their meal and stood up, ready to go pack, but Charlie stopped them.  
  
"Hermione... well, Chiara, Bill and I would like to tell the rest of my family about this. Professor Snape already said it was fine with him. Do you mind?"  
  
Hermione shrugged. "Why should I mind?"  
  
Both brothers looked at her uncomfortable. "Well, you know Ron, he won't like that Draco is your brother or that Zach is Snape's son."  
  
The girl laughed a bit and looked at them amusedly. "He might surprise you."  
  
Turning around, she left the room, followed by a puzzled Draco. When the boy caught up with her, he looked at her worriedly. "Aren't you afraid about Weasley's reaction?"  
  
Hermione chuckled lightly. "Why should I be? He has had a year to get used to it; he won't say anything."  
  
Draco stopped short. "He knows?"  
  
Chiara laughed. "He's our best friend, of course he knows."  
  
The boy shook his head. "It's a wonder the whole school hasn't found out."  
  
Hermione glared at him but continued walking; there was no sense to get into an argument about Ron. They would have more than enough time to do that later. To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	12. Final decisions

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 12.  
  
Snape walked quickly towards the dungeons cursing himself. Why hadn't he seen that the moment Zach had said he wanted to go back to the Dursleys? He would have done the same; he had never stayed in some place if he knew he wasn't welcome there. But he still regarded Harry as a spoiled brat, much like Draco was, who didn't have a problem telling everyone what he wanted. He would have to stop treating him like Draco if he wanted to get along with the boy. From what Chiara had said, Zach didn't seem to care much about himself. Snape sighed, that would make things more difficult; it meant he couldn't just let the boy take care of himself while he made sure he was safe. Instead, he would have to take proper care of him, as his family should have done. Snape didn't know much about the Dursleys, but he had made sure to talk with Lupin before going to sleep the night before. He didn't like what the werewolf had told him, and he shared his opinion that what Harry told his godfather was not the whole truth. He would have to find out how much the Dursley's neglect had hurt Harry, and he would have to make it up to the boy; it was going to be a long summer.  
  
He quietly entered his rooms and walked towards his son's bedroom. Once he reached the door, he was about to knock but heard Harry talking. Wondering whom he was talking with, Snape stayed silent and listened.  
  
"Why? Why did I believe him yesterday? Why did he seem to care yesterday? Why did he bother to put up an act? Is it so much fun to see how your only son believes he can finally have a family, and then throw it in his face? He could have at least told me from the beginning that he didn't want me; there was no need to ignore me in front of the whole Great Hall. And why on earth did he bother about the bedrooms? He should have allowed the headmaster to put us in one of the common rooms, but that wouldn't have been cruel enough, would it?"  
  
Deciding he had heard more than enough, Snape opened the door silently. He hadn't meant to hurt Zach; he had just wanted to allow the boy to make his own choice, but obviously Harry had not seen it that way. Looking through the open door, the sight that greeted him made him freeze. Zach was talking to his snowy owl while repeatedly punching one of the walls. His hands were already bloodied, and it didn't look like he was about to stop. What shocked him even more, were the small trail of tears running down his cheeks. He had never seen his son cry before, not even last year with Diggory's death, but now he was and he was crying because of him. Without a second thought, Snape rushed inside and wrapped his arms around the child's shoulders, pinning his arms at his sides. Harry tensed at the touch and started to struggle against the hands that held him.  
  
"Stop, Harry."  
  
The boy shook his head. "No, let me go!"  
  
Snape only tightened his grip. "No, not until you stop hurting yourself."  
  
It didn't seem Harry was about to obey him. Seeing that his arms were completely useless, the boy started to kick. Snape cursed in his head and tried to avoid being hit. After one of the child's kicks connected with his leg, he spoke again sternly. "Zachary, stop it this instant!"  
  
The boy froze completely in his arms, and after a moment, he slumped against his chest. Snape turned him around carefully and buried the boy's head against his shoulder.  
  
They stayed silent for a long time, Harry crying softly against the man's shoulder. Snape just held him, wondering what he was supposed to do now. His thoughts were shattered by the boy's muffled voice.  
  
"I won't punch the wall anymore, let me go."  
  
The potions master looked at the dark head nestled in his shoulder and shook his head. "I don't think so, not until you've calmed down and are willing to listen to me."  
  
Harry tensed. "There's nothing to say."  
  
Snape pushed the boy away from his chest but made sure he was still holding his shoulders tightly so he couldn't get away. "On the contrary, I think it's about time we had a chat."  
  
Harry looked down, unwilling to face the man. "There's nothing to talk about."  
  
The man frowned. "There's a lot to talk about."  
  
Harry remained stubborn. "I don't want to talk about it."  
  
Snape, seeing he was not getting anywhere, decided to take another approach. "As you wish, but I'll be informing the headmaster that you'll be staying here."  
  
Harry gapped at him and nearly lost his balance when the strong hands let go of his shoulders. "You can't do that!"  
  
Snape turned to face him seriously. "I am your father, and I want you to stay with me so I can get to know you. I would have preferred to talk about it with you but since you don't want to, you don't get a choice in the matter. You are staying here, and as far as I'm concerned, you'll never again step a foot into your relatives house. Understood?"  
  
Harry blinked a few times, one part of him wanted to argue with the man, that it was not fair. But another part of him told him he only wanted to argue because that's what he always did; this is what he had wanted so why should he argue? Snape didn't give him the chance to make up his mind, and instead, left the room.  
  
Zach sank into his bed, wondering what on earth was going on. Then his father's words came back to him and made him smile. The older man wanted him there, he had told him so. He had actually been ordered to stay where he was. Before he could erase the smile from his face, the door opened again, and Snape entered carrying a small bag.  
  
The boy quickly stood up, wondering if the man was going to lecture him about being disrespectful to him before, but Snape shook his head and motioned to the bed. "Sit down."  
  
Harry blinked and for once, did as he was told. The older man knelt in front of him and took a small bottle from the bag. Picking up a cloth, he put a bit of the purple potion on it and extended a hand. "Give me your hand."  
  
Harry looked at him surprised, and then looked back at his hands. There was still some blood coming out of the small cuts, and he couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't noticed before. He returned his gaze towards Snape, who was waiting patiently in front of him. Looking at the potion with mistrust, Harry drew his hands closer to his body. "It's ok, I'll clean them myself."  
  
Snape sighed and rolled his eyes. "Zach, that's going to hurt a lot in a few hours; stop being so stubborn and give me your hands. It's not like I'm about to hurt you."  
  
When it seemed the boy wasn't about to move, Snape pressed his lips together and brusquely put everything in the bag again. "As you wish."  
  
Without another word he took the bag and left the room. Harry winced when the door slammed shut after the angry man. The boy curled up on the bed, wondering what was wrong with him. Snape had only wanted to help him. Sighing, he stood up and walked to the bathroom. He was relieved when he didn't see his father around. He quickly cleaned his hands, wincing when the water hit his cuts. His father had been right; it was going to hurt like hell. He had just finished carefully drying his hands when Chiara came in. The girl blinked and blushed slightly. "Sorry, I didn't think you would be here." Before he could reassure her that it was alright, she grabbed his hands carefully. "Zach, what happened?"  
  
Harry winced and told her how he had started to punch the wall. The girl shook her head slightly. "Wait here, I'm going to get something to bandage you up."  
  
But Harry gripped her arm. "No, thank you, but no."  
  
Chiara frowned at him. "But Zach, it's going to hurt if you leave it like this, and it could also become infected."  
  
Harry sighed. "I know, but it will be my fault." When Chiara looked at him questioningly, he explained. "Professor Snape came, he stopped me from punching the wall more and tried to talk to me about staying here; I kind of told him I didn't want to listen to what he had to say, and in the end, he told me I was staying and had no choice in the matter. He came back later and tried to heal my hands, but I didn't let him."  
  
Chiara shook her head at him. "Why not? You know he wouldn't have hurt you."  
  
Harry nodded. "I know. I don't know why I didn't let him. It's just, every time he tells me to do something, there's something in me that wants to rebel."  
  
Hermione chuckled slightly. "That's what happens with teenagers all the time, Zach, you'll just have to work on it."  
  
The boy groaned and leaned against the wall. "I know, the question is, how much can Snape take? He has been better about all this than I ever dared to hope, but I know I hurt him before when I refused to let him heal me."  
  
Hermione shrugged. "Snape's a teacher, I'm sure he knows all about teenagers." She turned around and started to clean her hands. "You could also explain it to him, so he knows that you don't mean half the things you say."  
  
Harry pouted. "I'm not so sure I don't mean them."  
  
Chiara laughed. "I know you don't mean them; you're just confused, and it's easier to keep the man away than to try and work things out." She turned to look at him while drying her hands. "Go talk to him, Zach."  
  
The boy still looked unsure. "What if I do something stupid again?"  
  
The girl smiled at him. "Then you'll go and apologise again. You're not alone in this, Zach. Snape is as unsure as you are; Draco and I are also unsure, and we already have got into a few arguments, but that's what it all is about, to learn and live with each other."  
  
Zach nodded slightly. "That's why you invited him to come with you."  
  
The girl smiled and nodded slightly. "I can't get to know him while we are at school, I don't know what Dumbledore is going to arrange but chances are that we will still stay in different houses. If things are going to work out between my brother and me, we'll have to do it before school starts."  
  
Harry nodded and sighed. "I guess you're right. Any idea where Snape is?"  
  
The girl smiled back at him and nodded towards the hall. "I think he went to his room."  
  
Nodding, Zach left the bathroom, wondering how Snape was going to react.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie and to Leena for her help. 


	13. Interlude

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Interlude  
  
Bill and Charlie arrived at the Burrow late that same evening. They were both nervous about what they needed to tell their family, but knew that it was better if they told everyone themselves before they heard it from somewhere else. They heard shouts coming from the back garden of their house, and as they approached, both brothers saw their younger siblings playing a friendly game of quidditch. George was the first to notice them. He pointed them out to the other teens and together they landed before the older boys who greeted them warmly.  
  
Once they had all exchanged hugs, they headed inside, where Molly was making dinner with Percy reading the paper on the table. Both looked up surprised at their arrival but greeted them happily. Once Mrs. Weasley had hugged and kissed her older sons, she drew back and looked at them intently. "Not that it's not good to see you both, but what brings you here? I didn't even know you were in England."  
  
Charlie smiled slightly while sitting down, while Bill answered their mother. "Dumbledore called us yesterday morning, something to do with the Dark Lord. We thought it would be nice to come and see you before returning."  
  
Both Percy and Mrs Weasley narrowed their eyes, neither seemed to believe them and Bill couldn't help but glance at his brother. Seeing the look, Percy closed the newspaper and looked at them intently. "Out with it, what's wrong?"  
  
Sighing, Charlie shook his head. "Nothing it really wrong, just a few weird things happened and we thought it would be better to tell you before you find out on your own."  
  
Mrs. Weasley looked at them anxiously. "Is it bad?"  
  
Bill shrugged. "No, Mum, I guess not, just a bit weird. We'll tell you when Dad gets home."  
  
Then the two older brothers quickly started to ask how everyone was doing. The children, who had been listening silently at their conversation, sat down around them and happily started to speak, telling them both what they had been doing all summer.  
  
About two hours later, Arthur returned home and greeted everyone tiredly. They sat down to eat, but both Bill and Charlie were very much aware of the worried gazes fixed on them. Finally, they put their forks and knives down and Bill took the word. "As I said before, we had gone to Hogwarts to talk to Dumbledore yesterday. We had finished with our meeting and were eating dinner when Arabella Figg entered."  
  
Ginny interrupted him. "Who is Arabella Figg?"  
  
Charlie lowered his cup. "She's a retired auror; she lives near Privet Drive and usually keeps an eye on Harry."  
  
At Harry's name, everyone tensed; they should have known it had something to do with him. Fred quickly spoke. "Is he ok?"  
  
Bill sighed a bit annoyed. "He's fine, he wasn't hurt or anything. Will you let me explain?"  
  
The younger children nodded lightly and their older brother continued. "Well, she came in and was very worried, she told us she had seen two strange teenagers coming out of Harry's house and one of them, the girl, looked like a Malfoy."  
  
The whole family tensed, looking straight at Bill. Arthur was the first one to recover his voice. "A Malfoy, are you sure?"  
  
Charlie cut his brother's reply. "Dad, calm down and let Bill explain."  
  
The older man glanced at him but nodded and settled back into his chair. Bill took a breath and started to speak again. "Well, it turns out that the guy looked like Snape so Arabella hurried to Hogwarts to get an explanation from the man."  
  
While both oldest Weasleys had paled at the news, the younger children were looking at each other confusedly. Percy sipped his tea and commented calmly. "I wasn't aware that Professor Snape had any relatives."  
  
Ron, who had moved to sit into the shadows, smirked lightly and listened to Charlie's answer. "He doesn't, it turns out the kid is his son."  
  
George and Fred shook their head at once. "Poor boy, to be the git's son."  
  
Ron couldn't help but feel annoyed, but he refrained from saying it aloud. His father wasn't pleased either. "That's enough, Fred, George." Then he turned to Bill. "I thought that Severus' children had been killed by Death Eaters many years ago, as was his wife."  
  
Percy looked at him sharply. "I didn't know that."  
  
Molly shrugged. "Not many people knew. To make a long story short, Severus married Angela Malfoy and they had twin children. Angela and both kids were killed by a Death Eater attack. There were rumours at the time that said that Lucius himself was behind the attack." Turning to her elder sons she looked at them questioningly. "Are you sure the boy was his son? Then we should also assume the girl was his daughter?"  
  
Bill and Charlie exchanged uncomfortable glances. "Well, yes, in a way."  
  
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "In a way?"  
  
Charlie nodded. "The boy is Snape's son but the girl is his goddaughter, not his daughter."  
  
Percy frowned. "Last I checked there was no Malfoy girl of that age. Besides, you didn't say what they were doing at Harry's house."  
  
Bill shifted uncomfortably. "Well, the girl is not actually a Malfoy, she just looks like one. Her mother was a Malfoy, actually, it was Angela, but her father was not Snape."  
  
Molly blinked. "I didn't know Angela very well, but I don't imagine her being unfaithful to Severus. Besides, they were twins, and you said the boy was his son."  
  
Charlie passed a nervous hand through his hair, looking around the room. His eyes rested on his youngest brother for a moment and frowned. The boy seemed to be calm enough, even amused, but he couldn't help but wonder what his reaction would be once he and Bill gathered the courage to right out tell them what was going on. Bill on the other hand, tried to answer the questions as well as he good without giving too much away, he needed to let them know the truth slowly but he didn't exactly know how.  
  
Sighing, he continued carefully. "She wasn't unfaithful to him."  
  
Percy let out a frustrated growl, wondering why his older brothers were beating around the bush. "But you just said..."  
  
A cup was slammed on the table, stopping his words. A very annoyed Ron looked at them all sharply. "Bill, Charlie, would you just tell us what you came to tell us?"  
  
Bill looked at him seriously. "Only if you promise me to listen until I'm finished."  
  
Ron couldn't help but laugh and roll his eyes. "I doubt there's anything you could tell me that I don't already know, but go ahead."  
  
Bill looked at him mistrustful but started to speak. "Angela didn't cheat on Severus because she was never married to him. It seems that Angela was in love with James Potter while Snape and Lily Evans were together. Due to the pressure of their families, they decided to stage a break up and pair up. They arranged fake marriages and, well, I'm sure you can guess how it went. My point is that the twins were James and Angela's children."  
  
Molly looked at them carefully, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Are you trying to say that Harry...?"  
  
Slowly, everyone understood what the older brothers had been trying to say. Ron leaned back into his chair and looked around, watching everyone's reaction. Percy was looking fairly surprised but unlike the twins, who were gapping at each other; he didn't look horrified. Ginny was deathly pale and was looking at him carefully. Ron looked back at her, and then shifted to see his parents' reactions. His mother was looking really worried while his father was shocked.  
  
Ginny's soft voice broke the horrified silence. "Harry is Snape's son?"  
  
Bill and Charlie nodded slowly, looking at Ron closely. He was taking it well, too well. The older brother spoke softly. "Ron, are you alright?"  
  
The redhead raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Why shouldn't I?"  
  
Charlie looked uncomfortable. "We thought you would blow up and go storming to Hogwarts and rescue Harry, or something like that."  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes. "Harry is at Hogwarts? With Snape?"  
  
Bill nodded hesitantly. "Yes, they went to fetch him and his friend."  
  
He was about to add something more when the fire turned green and a girl stepped out. Bill and Charlie gaped at her, shooting nervous looks at their family, who was in turn looking shocked at the blonde girl. Charlie shuffled nervously.  
  
"Erm... we aren't finished with telling them yet."  
  
The girl smiled and shrugged slightly, she turned to Ron who was grinning at her. "Hey there, Handsome."  
  
Ron chuckled and stood up. "You're looking wonderful, Chiara. Even if you do look like a Malfoy."  
  
The girl punched him lightly. "Ron!" Then Hermione hugged him fiercely. "I wanted to speak to you for a moment before I leave with my parents and Heron."  
  
Ron drew away a bit and raised an eyebrow. "Heron?"  
  
Hermione nodded lightly. "Lucius disowned him when he changed for asking too many questions. He went to Hogwarts to talk to Professor Snape and well... I'm sure you can imagine the rest."  
  
Ron snorted. "He went to fetch you and Harry and told his story to everyone, which he should have done a long time ago. He should have told Harry, at least."  
  
Hermione nodded in agreement. "I know."  
  
Mrs. Weasley slightly cleared her throat and the two teens turned towards her. "Ron, why don't you introduce your friend to us."  
  
Both Ron and Chiara smirked slightly. "Mum, this is Chiara Angela Potter, daughter of James Potter and Angela Malfoy, adoptive daughter of David and Mary Granger, also known as Hermione Granger."  
  
Molly looked at them both with huge eyes before she went to hug the girl. "Hermione, dear, that's a big shock, how are you dealing with it?"  
  
Hermione hugged her back and smiled slightly. "I already knew, Mrs. Weasley. I found out in third year that not only was I adopted, but also that my parents thought my real parents were Professor Snape and Angela. When I told Harry and Ron, Harry told me the truth."  
  
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Harry knew?"  
  
Ron nodded slightly. "Yes, he found his mother's journal one summer."  
  
Bill turned to him sharply. "You knew too!"  
  
Charlie groaned and buried his head in his hands. "And here we were, making fools of ourselves trying to tell you in a way you wouldn't react too badly."  
  
Ron smirked and Chiara giggled. "I already told you I wasn't worried about what he would say."  
  
Bill scowled at her. "You could have told us he knew."  
  
The girl shrugged but her answer was cut short by Percy's voice. "Why did no one confront Professor Snape, or tell someone about it?"  
  
Chiara leaned against Ron, who had his arms still around her. "Well, you know how Professor Snape has always acted around Harry. He has always seemed to hate him, and Zach refused to acknowledge the fact that the man was his father. The Dursleys already hate him enough and they are only his relatives, I doubt he could have taken it from Professor Snape too. As for me, it wasn't so important. I have my family, and I wasn't about to tell Malfoy that he was my twin brother."  
  
Fred gaped at her. "Ferret boy is your twin brother?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to Charlie. "You really haven't told them much, have you?"  
  
As one, George, Ginny, and Fred shook their heads. "No."  
  
Everyone else chuckled, and Chiara turned to Ron. "I don't have much time, I just came to ask you to keep an eye on Zach. He's staying with Professor Snape and they are having some trouble."  
  
Ron nodded and hugged her once again. "I will, don't worry, and if it gets to be too much, I'm sure he can stay here for a while."  
  
Chiara looked at him sternly. "Only if it gets very bad. They need to learn to get along; I'm sure Zach will need all the help he can get in the following months, and you know how much he longs for a family."  
  
Ron grimaced. "I can't see Professor Snape as a loving father figure."  
  
Chiara laughed lightly. "You didn't see him yesterday, he was acting very different, all worried and caring, it was... disconcerting, and I doubt Harry understands what was going on."  
  
Ron shrugged. "I'll take your word for it until I see it myself."  
  
Chiara nodded lightly and kissed him on his cheek. "Well, I need to go, my parents and my brother are waiting for me."  
  
"Malfoy is going with you?"  
  
The girl nodded. "Yes, it was that or staying with Zach and Professor Snape."  
  
Ron grimaced but nodded. Hermione bid everyone goodbye, and when she had disappeared, Ron turned to look at his older brothers. "Ok, you two, out with it, what happened yesterday? And now please, an outright answer."  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	14. Apologies

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Truths.  
  
Zach held his breath after knocking on the door that led to his father's bedroom. Snape had told them he was only to be disturbed when it was important, and Harry didn't know if he should consider this important enough. He was starting to regret his decision to talk to the man when his father opened the door slightly.  
  
Snape looked down at him for a long moment before opening the door further and motioning him inside. The room was fairly dark, like the rest of the dungeons, and much to Harry's surprise, it was not made in green but in dark blue. At one side of the room was a big, four posted bed with black covers. On the other side was a table, covered in books and pieces of parchment. In one of the corners was a fireplace, where a huge fire was burning and warming the couch placed in front of it. Snape closed the door after him and gave him a few moments to inspect the room. Finally, Harry turned towards the man, who was waiting patiently for him to speak.  
  
"I'm sorry about before, I didn't mean to be rude. It's just . . .I'm not used to do things that are asked from me instead of ordered. The Dursleys never bothered, not that they would have cared enough to heal me up."  
  
Snape looked at him for a long moment; Harry was starting to fidget and looked down. "Mmh, that's all I wanted to say, sorry again."  
  
He turned to leave, but his father's voice stopped him. "Stop."  
  
Snape turned him around and lifted his head with a slender finger. He looked a bit longer and then nodded. "Very well, I guess I can understand that, apology accepted." Then, instead of ordering him to leave as Harry had been expecting, he motioned towards the couch. "Go sit there."  
  
Zach nodded and did as he was told. This time, when his father knelt in front of him, he extended his hands at once, surprised that the man was still willing to heal him up. It barely took a few minutes for Snape to bandage him up. Harry couldn't help but wonder if the man could have healed him completely but he wasn't about to ask. The professor looked up at him after having put everything back into the bag and spoke.  
  
"The cuts will heal in a few days; it might hurt a bit, but it will help you remember you shouldn't hurt yourself."  
  
Harry felt a bit annoyed, but knew his father was right so he didn't comment. Snape put the bag away and turned to the fire. He called a house elf and asked for tea. Harry was still sitting uneasily, wondering if he should leave.  
  
Before he could decide, Snape came back and sat in a couch near him. The man placed a tray between them and served him a cup of tea before serving himself. Harry took the cup from his fingers eagerly; he needed something to keep his hands occupied so the man wouldn't notice how tense he was. Zach didn't know if it worked, but Severus didn't comment. Instead he relaxed into his own seat, the hot cup held tightly in his hands while he looked distractely into the fire. Harry decided to do the same and let the silence wash over them. After a while, the silence became tense, and Harry started to think about things he could say. Finally, he remembered the box and turned to face the man.  
  
"I still have Mom's box in my room, do you want it?"  
  
Snape looked up startled and nodded slightly. "What did Lily put in there?"  
  
Harry took a sip of his drink. "Well, there's her journal, of course, and then some pictures and a few letters." Blushing, he looked at his father. "I read most of the journal, but I didn't touch the letters." Snape nodded absently, the deep frown on his face made his son nervous. "I'm sorry I read the journal, I know I shouldn't have, but I saw the pictures and . . ."  
  
He stopped his explanation when Snape looked up startled and smiled slightly, shaking his head. "Zach, I'm not angry about you reading the journal, even if you should have come to me with it, but that's something we'll talk about another time. I was just wondering if there was anything else in the box."  
  
Harry frowned slightly, trying to think of anything else. He was about to shake his head when he remembered. Blushing once again, he nodded slightly. "There was a necklace with a charm."  
  
Snape looked relieved. "Good, can you go get it?"  
  
Harry looked up, extremely nervous. His father looked at him expectantly for a moment before starting to frown when the boy didn't move. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
Slowly, the boy put his cup on the tray and fished around his clothes for the necklace that lay around his neck. When he finally found it, he held it out so his father could see. "I'm sorry I'm wearing it, I just felt compelled to put it on and then I couldn't take it off."  
  
When his father didn't berate him, Zach dared to look up and was half surprised, half relieved to see his father look not only pleased but also relieved. Seeing his surprised gaze, Severus chuckled slightly and pressed his thumb on the charm making it glow slightly. "It's alright, Zach, this charm was made for you. Have you been wearing it all these years?"  
  
Harry nodded and tucked the charm away once his father pulled his hand away. "Yes. Ron said it was a crest charm, and that it gives protection."  
  
Zach had to surpress a chuckle when his father nearly chocked on his tea. "Weasley knows?"  
  
The boy smiled slightly. "Of course he knows; he's our best friend. Why? Is there a problem with him knowing?"  
  
Snape quickly shook his head. "No, of course not, I'm just surprised he kept being your friend when he found out."  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed in anger, and he was about to lash out at his father when Snape's soft voice stopped him. "Think about what you're about to say before you say it."  
  
The boy's glare became more intense, but he took a deep breath to calm down. He locked his eyes with Snape's, seeing faint aproval in the dark gaze. Calming down a bit more, he thought about what his father had been saying. Not seeing anything but the usual insults, he tried to look past that, and he thought about the tone he had been using. Then he understood what the man had tried to say, the tone he had used was not the usual bitting sarcasm; instead, the words had been tainted with approval and relief.  
  
Sighing, the boy turned to the potions master and nodded, showing he had understood. "Thank you for stopping me."  
  
Severus smiled faintly. "That's quite alright. I understand that you're too used to me insulting you and your friends all the time to notice I didn't mean it like that this time. But I want you to know that I really want to make this work. I want my son back. I allowed the Dursleys to take care of you because I knew you would be safe and happy, something I couldn't assure you."  
  
Harry clentched his fists and narrowed his eyes. The tentation to shout at the man came back full force, but his father's earlier words stopped him from shouting at the man. Briskly, he stood up and turned around. "I'm going to get the box."  
  
He needed a few moments to calm down but Snape's hand quickly closed around his slender wrist, stopping him in his place. His father's voice was still quiet when he spoke. "That I want you to think about what you say doesn't mean you can't disagree with me or argue with me, as long as you have good reasons for it."  
  
Harry turned around slightly, not quite daring to glare at the man. With clentched teeth, he spoke as quietly as he was able to at the moment. "I may have been protected from Voldemort at the Dursley's, but I was not protected from them nor was I ever happy."  
  
The hand around his wrist tightened, and Snape's intense gaze watched him carefully. "What do you mean you weren't protected from the Dursleys?"  
  
Zach paled but was forced to turn around by a tug on his wrist. He looked down at his father, who was still sitting down, intent to say it was nothing, but then his eyes locked with his father's, and he was not able to lie. They stayed silent for a long moment, Snape trying to figure out what his son had meant, and Harry trying to work a way to get out of telling his father. Finally, Zach's gaze fell on his wrist, noticing for the first time that his father's dead grip was starting to hurt. His voice was very soft when he dared to speak again. "You're hurting me."  
  
Snape looked startled for a moment, and then quickly dropped his son's wrist. Harry gathered his wrist to his body but was not quick enough to hide the deep red handprint from his father, who winced guiltily. "I'm sorry, Zach, I didn't mean to hurt you."  
  
Harry looked up, a bit startled at the apology. "It's ok." Before the man could remember why he had been gripping him so tightly, Harry turned around and headed to the door. "I'm going to get the box, I'll leave it in the living room."  
  
He had reached the door when his father recovered. "Zach!"  
  
But the teen was already out of the room and closed the door after him. Snape contemplated if he should follow him, but then decided against it. He knew that they would have to talk about it sometime, but it was too soon; he couldn't expect the boy to trust him after so many years of animosity. Sighing, the man sank back into his seat and closed his eyes, trying to relax.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	15. Trying to understand

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 14.  
  
Once Harry had put the box in the living room, he left his father's rooms and went outside. He had been cooped in Privet Drive for a few long weeks and he longed to be able to walk around freely, with the knowledge that he wasn't putting himself in danger. Slowly, he made his way towards the lake; it had always been one of his favourite spots and he needed the calm the place offered to relax and try to make sense of the things that had happened during the last few hours. His father's behaviour was very startling; he had never thought that the man would accept him so quickly, and yet, the rooms showed that the potions master had been getting ready for them.  
  
Sighing deeply, the young wizard laid back and looked up at the blue sky. Closing his eyes and relaxing even more, he continued thinking about his father. The man had gone from being hateful and sarcastic to protective and caring. Had he always been this way under the mask? His troubled thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a shadow standing over him. Opening his eyes slightly, he was able to make out Professor McGonagall's slender form. Blinking, the boy quickly sat up and was about to stand up when the witch smiled at him and sat down next to him.  
  
"Good evening, Zachary."  
  
Surprised at the use of his first name, Harry cocked his head slightly and nodded to her. "Good evening, Professor. Is there something wrong?"  
  
The woman shook her head, smiling gently at him. "No, nothing's wrong, I saw you lying here and came to see how you were doing. It must be hard for you to deal with this."  
  
Harry looked at his head of house intently and shrugged slightly. "I guess. I have had time to get used to it."  
  
McGonagall chuckled slightly. "And yet you are here instead of being with your father. Did he do something to you?"  
  
Harry winced a bit and immediately shook his head. "No, no, of course not, it's just... he's so different from what I had thought. I never thought I would have to get along with him. Every time I allowed myself to think about what was going to happen this summer, I thought the professor was going to ignore me and just continue with his usual treatment. I have to confess I don't really know how to deal with this now. I haven't really had any parental figures in my live. The only one that could come close to fill that place would be Mr. and Mrs Weasley, and somehow, I don't think I can compare them to Professor Snape."  
  
The woman chuckled slightly. "No, I don't think Severus is much like them."  
  
Harry frowned. "No, he is not, but on the other hand, yesterday and today, he has been very protective."  
  
McGonagall nodded and looked up towards the sky. "Yes, but that doesn't surprise me."  
  
The boy looked at her questioningly. "Professor?"  
  
The woman smiled fondly at him. "To Severus, family is very important, it always has been. I remember when James and Lily were killed; he was devastated. At the time, no one understood why he was so affected, but now it makes much more sense. From that day on, the man changed drastically. Don't take me wrong, he had never been easy to get along with, but at the time, there was some kind of inner warmth around him. He could be gentle and caring towards the students, and even if he still steered his classes with firm hand, he was not vicious or malicious. Everyone noticed the change after Voldemort's demise. I guess his short stay in Azkaban didn't help either, especially when he had just lost his whole family."  
  
Harry nodded; his professor's small speech had answered a few questions. It seemed family was really important to the man and that might explain his actions. Harry could understand and respect that. What he didn't understand is why it had taken him so long to get him. He had known all along that he was his son, so why hadn't he come and got him out of the Dursleys? Why did he go out of his way to make sure he would hate him?  
  
The silence between teacher and student was broken when a house elf appeared before them. Harry smiled gently at the small being. "Hello, Winky."  
  
The elf was looking much better than she had a few weeks ago. She was wearing a clean, pale blue dress with the Hogwarts crest sewn on her breast. Winky smiled at him slightly. "Hello, Young Master Snape, Headmaster Dumbledore told Winky to come warn you and Mistress McGonagall that dinner is served."  
  
The professor looked startled at her watch. "Merlin, I hadn't noticed it was so late already. Thank you, Winky."  
  
The house elf smiled at her and bowed slightly. "Mistress is welcome."  
  
The house elf disappeared with a slight pop. Harry stood up and helped the older woman stand up. Together, they made their way silently to the Great Hall. It was noticeably emptier than the day before, only a few teachers were seated at the round table. Looking around quickly, he noticed there were a few places he could sit, including one at his father's side. For a moment he considered picking one at Flitwick's side but shook that idea away. He had promised he would make the effort to get to know the man, and if Snape was able to be civil and even try to get to know him, he owed it to himself to do the same. If anyone noticed his slight hesitation, no one mentioned it. Quickly, the boy went to sit at his father's side who nodded at him in greeting, a small smile on his thin lips.  
  
Conversation around the table was light; Snape was deep in a conversation with Sinistra about the Slytherin house. It seemed some students had requested the use of private chambers for the next term and both teachers were trying to determine if it was a good idea. McGonagall had gone to sit at Dumbledore's side and was in a quiet conversation with the old wizard. The small Professor Flitwick was talking excitedly with Professor Sprout.  
  
Harry, on the other hand, was sitting silently, observing his teachers carefully while he ate. He was not very hungry despite the fact that he had skipped lunch; he knew that it was the Dursley's fault for not feeding him properly. Knowing that if he didn't eat he would attract his father's attention, he did what he always did when he wasn't hungry and his friends were around. He started to eat very slowly taking very small bits every time. This way, if no one were paying attention, they would not notice how little he was eating. It was a trick he had learned in his first year at Hogwarts, when Hermione's nagging about his eating habits had become too annoying. The only thing he had to make sure is to keep everyone distracted. In this case, it was not even necessary; the professors were not really paying attention to him.  
  
Once he was finished, he stayed quiet for a long moment, expecting the adults to stand up, but they all seemed to be very involved in their conversations and none seemed willing to break up the gathering. Starting to feel like an intruder, Harry silently stood up and quickly made his way towards the door, trying not to draw attention to him, another thing he had learned from the Dursleys. Closing the door carefully behind him, he was relieved when he heard the conversations hadn't stopped.  
  
For a few moments he stood there, wondering what he was going to do now. He could go to his rooms, but the thought of going to the cold dungeon on his own didn't appeal him. Instead, he started to walk towards the library. He was not much of a bookworm, at least not compared to Chiara, but the long days at his relatives' house had taught him the value of a good book. The place was eerily silent, the old books surrounded him, and Zach had to make an effort to walk around calmly looking for something to read. After ten minutes, he settled down on a table with a book on hexes and curses, thinking it would be interesting. Ten minutes later, he gave up. His mind was simply too troubled to understand what he was reading; laying his head on the table, he closed his eyes and tried to relax, flexing his sore fingers noticing that they didn't really hurt anymore.  
  
He had been sitting there for a long time, his thoughts drifting. His body relaxed as he lay limply on the table. He should go to the dungeons, it wouldn't do him any good to fall asleep there, but he didn't want to. The library was just so peaceful, and that is just what his troubled mind needed. So he stayed there, relaxing and wondering what was going to happen next.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	16. Worrying conversations

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
The Keeper of Secrets.  
  
Severus shook his head at one of the comments Professor Sinistra had issued, that the older Slytherin students should really get separate bedrooms. It would be much easier to protect them that way and to keep them away from dark influences. He went to pick up his cup when he suddenly noticed his son was no longer sitting at his side. Looking around, he noticed Harry had left the hall and no one seemed to have noticed. Guilt suddenly went through him; he had completely ignored the boy even when he had made the effort to sit at his side.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
The witch's voice attracted everyone's attention. Severus looked around, feeling a little helpless. "Zach left; I hadn't even noticed."  
  
His quiet, worried voice startled most of the teachers, who hadn't thought the man would be capable of parental feelings. McGonagall and Dumbledore looked at him in understanding; the poor man was just not used to having to think about someone else. The headmaster was about to say something when Severus stood up. "I'm going to look for him; I ignored him without even meaning to."  
  
He was out of the room before any of the other teachers could answer him. Shaking his head, Remus sat back and smiled contently. "Who would have thought that under the sharp and sarcastic attitude was this caring man?"  
  
Minerva chuckled lightly. "Startling, isn't it? We have grown too used to the old bastard to now rediscover he is human and has a heart."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He had asked Severus to return to his spying duties but he doubted that that would now be a good idea. With the discovery of his son, Dumbledore couldn't let the younger man go into the field as easily as before. Not to mention that when word got out that Draco had left the Malfoys, Severus would be blamed for it. He would need to talk with the younger man about it, but it was probably for the best that Severus stopped spying. After all, they didn't have any use for a dead spy.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000  
  
Snape quickly made his way down to the dungeons, hoping his son would have gone there. He really felt bad about not paying attention. He had been happy to see his son make an effort and sit next to him instead of one of the other teachers, and he had gone and ruined it by getting too involved with Sinistra. He reached his rooms and said the password out loud. The rooms were dark; Zach was obviously not there. And now that he thought about it, he hadn't even given him the password. Cursing, the man left his rooms in a hurry, trying to think about where his son had gone. Reaching one of the main halls, he stopped for a moment and tried to figure out where the boy could have gone. He might have gone outside, but seeing that it was getting dark, he discarded that idea for now, hoping the boy would have more sense than to wander the grounds on his own after dark. The kitchens were also out of the question since they had just had dinner, and even if he wasn't sure how much the boy had eaten, he at least knew he had been eating. Frowning in thought, he started to make his way towards the Gryffindor Tower. The common rooms were closed during the summer but Harry had no way to know that so it would make sense for the boy to go there. He was disappointed when the Fat Lady told him she hadn't seen anyone for days. Running a nervous hand through his hair, the man started to search the castle, going from classroom to classroom, asking the portraits if they had seen the boy. Finally, a portrait of a knight told him he had seen the boy heading towards the library.  
  
After thanking the portrait, Severus made his way quickly towards Madam Pince's domain. He would have never thought his son would go there willingly, but on the other hand, he had to admit that he really didn't know Harry that well. Besides, all those years at Hermione's side had to mean something; the girl was completely addicted to the place. He was somewhat disappointed when he saw the dark library; it didn't look like his son would be there. Nevertheless, he entered and started to look through the room. Finally, he stopped short when he saw Harry slumped in a chair, with his head in his arms. He fastened his pace and quickly made his way to the teen's side, wondering what was wrong with him. Why was he sitting there in the dark? Was he feeling ill? When he reached the boy, he saw that he had his eyes closed, and his breathing was deep and even. He seemed to be asleep, but Snape was not going to take any chances. Carefully, he rested a slender hand on the boy's cheek, checking for fever, but noticed that his son's skin was cool. Nothing seemed wrong with him, so he decided to wake him up.  
  
"Zach."  
  
The child didn't move so he started to shake him slightly. In a flash the boy was awake and tense, looking at him through brilliant green eyes. Frowning, Snape bend down a bit so he could look his son in the eyes. "Zach? Are you alright?"  
  
Blinking, Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Yes, I'm fine." Looking around the dark library, he couldn't help but blush a bit. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep here."  
  
Severus looked at him for a long moment, but decided to let the matter go. "Come on, you will be more comfortable in the dungeons. Do you have what you were looking for?"  
  
Nodding slightly, Harry picked up the forgotten book and stood up. Both men walked silently towards the potions master quarters, each lost in thoughts. When they arrived at the portrait, Snape raised his voice a little to get his son's attention. "Lilith."  
  
Harry cocked his head while the portrait opened, allowing them entrance to the dark rooms. Severus moved towards the fireplace, and with a swish of his wand, he lightened the room, starting a warm fire since it was cold in the dungeons. The potions master went to sit on the couch and then fixed his gaze on the child, who was looking at the table where the box had been. While studying the child, he was once again surprised at how much he looked like him, and yet, he could see many of Lily's features on him. His eyes had stayed the same, but his hair was now longer, reaching past his shoulders, and he could swear there were red strands in between the dark ones. What worried him though was how thin the boy was. He had always thought he was too small and thin but with the robes you didn't really notice it. Now it was painfully clear that the boy didn't eat enough.  
  
Harry shifted uneasily; he had to force himself to remain still under his father's appraising gaze. The man was looking at him like he was some kind of potions ingredient, studying his every feature, and it was starting to make him feel uncomfortable. Finally, knowing he had to get the man's attention away from him, the boy broke the silence. "Mmh, Professor?"  
  
The man looked back up sharply and Harry couldn't help but take a step back. Blinking, the older wizard motioned for the boy to join him on the couch, which he did rather reluctantly. Clearing his thoughts, the Potions master thought back at what had happened at dinner, or rather, what hadn't happened. "I'm sorry about earlier, Zach."  
  
The boy blinked and looked confused at his father. "Sir?"  
  
Sighing, the man knew he would have to explain since the teen didn't seem to think anything had gone wrong. "I'm sorry about ignoring you when you chose to sit at my side."  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably; he really hadn't thought it was a big deal. Well, he had felt lonely sitting there in a group of adults in which no one really paid him any attention, but he was too used to it. "It's alright, I don't mind."  
  
Narrowing his eyes, the man regarded the teen carefully. There was something in the soft voice of his son that told him that he was only being partially truthful. "You should mind. It was wrong of me to ignore you, even though I didn't do it on purpose; I hope you can believe that."  
  
Harry shrugged. "It really was not that important, Professor, I'm used to it."  
  
At the same time he said those words, he knew he should have kept quiet. His father had narrowed his eyes dangerously and his lips were pressed tightly. Standing up abruptly, he gripped the book tighter. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed."  
  
He had just reached the door to the hall when his father's voice stopped him. "Zachary."  
  
Cringing, he turned around slightly to look at the standing man. "Sir?"  
  
"Tomorrow, you and I are going to have a chat about the Dursleys."  
  
Paling slightly, Harry tried to smile. "Professor, there's nothing to talk about, they are just my relatives."  
  
Snape shook his head slightly. "I said tomorrow, and I want the truth about how they treated you." Harry opened his mouth to protest but Snape was quicker. "I could always go to their house and dose them with Veritaserum."  
  
Harry's shoulders slumped and he nodded reluctantly. "Yes, sir."  
  
Nodding lightly, Snape gave him a slight smile. "Go to sleep, Zachary, I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Harry quickly walked back into his room and collapsed on the bed. He and his big mouth, he really should watch what he said around his father. He knew he would not get away with not telling him, Snape was nothing if not persistent and he knew he was going to get the whole story out of him. Sighing, he looked down at the book he had brought from the library; he suddenly was not sleepy anymore and he decided he might as well read for a while. A small part of his mind was telling him that he had let all those insinuations slip on purpose so his father would find out, but he decided to ignore the little voice. What would he gain when his father found out about his dismal life at his relatives?  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie. 


	17. Little talk about the Dursley

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
The Keeper of Secrets.  
  
Harry woke up late the next morning but he refused to open his eyes. He knew that his father would not forget about the conversation and he wasn't looking forward to it. The Dursley had never been outright abusive, but he knew that the situation hadn't been great either. The only physical abuse had been the occasional spanking from his aunt or uncle when he was a child and the beatings Dudley had given him under the guise of children's play. On the other hand, it was undeniable that they had not given him proper food or clothes, and while Harry didn't think it was a big deal he had the feeling his father was not going to agree with him. The worst, Harry thought while getting dressed, had been the mental abuse, they had enjoyed telling him how worthless he was and while now he knew that wasn't true, he hadn't got over it yet.  
  
Sighing, the teen walked out of the room and to the living room, where his father was reading the paper, waiting for him to have breakfast. The man looked up when he heard him come in and smiled slightly at the still sleepy face of his son. "Good morning, Zach. Did you sleep well?"  
  
The boy nodded while slipping into his seat. "Yeah, thank you professor."  
  
He looked intently as the food appeared in front of them and frowned lightly when his father served him. "I can take the food myself."  
  
Snape nodded but continued scooping up the bacon. "I know, but this way I'll know you'll eat enough."  
  
Harry scowled at him but didn't reply. He accepted the plate and looked warily as the man put a full glass of milk in front of him. "Eat up."  
  
Rolling his eyes, the teen picked up the fork and started on his breakfast while his father picked up his own food. They ate in silence, both deep in thought. Harry had eaten half the plate but then he had to stop, he had more than enough. Unfortunately for him, his father was not pleased by it. "I want you to eat it all."  
  
Zach looked at him dismayed. "Please, professor, I'm full."  
  
But the black eyes were relentless and he was forced to pick up his fork again, trying to force down the breakfast. Slowly the foot started to get nauseating, the taste made his stomach roll and five minutes later he was out of his chair and running towards the bathroom.  
  
He bent over the toilet, leaning heavily on his arms while he retched. He barely noticed the hands pulling his hair away from his face and rubbing his back soothingly. Once he didn't have anything else in his stomach, he sagged limply against the toilet seat, trying to steady his breathing. The sound of flushing made him open his eyes and he finally noticed his father kneeling at his side. The man was looking at him apologetic, still rubbing his back.  
  
Once he was sure Harry was steady enough, Snape got up and went to pick a glass of water and a wet clothe. He returned to his son's side, who had not moved, and proceeded to cool down the boy's flushed face.  
  
Zach closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle touch of his father's hands. His relatives had never been gentle with him, touching him only when it was completely necessary. His eyes flew open when strong arms went around him and lifted him up. Shocked, he looked up at the Potions Master's face, but the man was looking in front of him, making sure not to walk him into anything. Harry blinked when he was deposited on a couch and covered up with a blanked.  
  
He had not recovered from his shock when the older wizard spoke. "Are you feeling alright? Do I need to get Madam Pomfrey?"  
  
At those words Harry shook his head frantically. "No! That's not necessary, Professor. I already see her enough during term. And I feel fine, I'm just not used to eating so much."  
  
Snape looked at him seriously and sat down next to him on the couch. "You do realise that that was not much, do you? You're a growing boy, to eat what I put on your plate should be no problem. Do I need to blame your relatives about that?"  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably but nodded anyway, it was no use denying it when his father could just go there and demand an explanation. "Yes, well, they never really fed me properly, I wasn't worth the food."  
  
The Professor's eyes narrowed in anger. "Nonsense, you have just as much right to food as any other child."  
  
Zach shrugged. "Not to them, they always told me I was a freak."  
  
Noticing his son's sad expression, the man looked at him intently. "Surely you didn't believe them."  
  
Harry looked sharply towards his father, his green eyes burning in anger. "Why the hell wouldn't I? It was the only thing I knew. Day after day they told me how worthless I was and how much of a Freak I was. It went on before Hogwarts, it continued during my years here and the only reason they stopped last year was because they were terrified of Sirius. Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't believe what they say when my own father will not even take me in, when he will do everything in his power to make sure I know he hates me. Well, don't worry, professor, I got the message, you don't have to worry about it, I will leave you alone."  
  
Harry saw Snape going deadly pale, the man's hands trembled lightly and a small voice in the back of his mind told him he had gone too far, but right now he was angry and didn't want to think about what he had said. Instead he wanted to leave the room, but Snape was sitting at his side on the couch where he was lying on, pinning the blankets under his weight and therefore making it impossible for him to move. Looking at his father again, he saw that the man was buried in thoughts, the paleness remaining on his face and his eyes looking dully in front of him. Sighing, he knew the man was not going to move anytime soon and he relaxed against the soft, leather couch, letting his mind drift.  
  
He wondered what Chiara and Heron were doing at the moment. They probably were having as much trouble getting along with each other as he was having with Snape. Shaking his head, he could imagine the two of them arguing about some muggle thing or another, but then he could see Hermione balancing things, trying to really work it out with her brother. She was like that, she was level-headed enough to get along with Heron. Sighing, he looked at his father again, who hadn't moved an inch, and he knew he should apologise. The man had been nice to him, even concerned, and he had gone and screamed at him. Not that he didn't think he had the right to be angry, but he shouldn't have let his emotions lash out like that.  
  
Shifting under the blankets again, he rolled on his side, startling the man out of his thoughts. When Severus looked down at him, Harry spoke quickly, not giving him the chance to say anything. "I'm sorry, sir, I shouldn't have shouted at you."  
  
Snape blinked at him a few times, processing what the boy was saying and then shook his head. Placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, he squeezed it gently. "Maybe not, but you have every right to be angry at me." Sighing, he continued. "Is there anything else I should know about the Dursley?"  
  
Harry grimaced and decided it was no use to keep dancing around the subject. "Besides the verbal abuse and the lack of food? Well, my room for ten years was a cupboard while my cousin had a bedroom, a playroom and there was another room for when Aunt Marge visited, which happened once every two years. I was supposed to take care of the house and cook for the family. I had no friends because my cousin beat anyone who dared to be friendly to me. My teachers thought I was stupid because I was never able to do my work properly due to my chores. And I think that's about it." He paused and then added. "Oh, and I was dressed in Dudley's clothes, which were often in rags and were three times my size."  
  
Looking up at his father, he shivered slightly under the warm blanket. If the man had been pale before, now he was flushed, his dark eyes shining brightly. He had only seen that expression once on his father's face, the time he had seen Sirius over a year ago.  
  
The man looked suddenly down at him and in a deathly soft voice he stated. "I think I'll be going to have a chat with your aunt and uncle one of these days."  
  
Harry blinked and for once in his live he felt sorry for his relatives. His father was terrifying when angered.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, and thanks for my beta reader Vinnie, for her help and to Leena for her support. 


	18. Demanding explanations

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
_  
**The Keeper of Secrets.  
**  
Zach was still lying on the couch one hour later. His father had been adamant that he had to rest and had taken a place in the nearest armchair to make sure he was obeyed. He had tried to fall asleep, but to no avail, his mind was in turmoil. So for the last hour, he had laid there, eyes closed and regular breathing, trying to figure out what he felt about the man sitting next to him. Finally, he couldn't take it any more, rolling on his side, he opened his eyes and looked towards the older wizard.  
  
"Are you going to tell me?"  
  
The man was visibly startled, and looked up sharply. "I thought you were sleeping."  
  
Shaking his head, Zach sat up. "I can't, too much in my mind."  
  
Sighing, Severus closed his book and regarded his son carefully. He looked much better than he had before, his paleness had disappeared and his eyes were calm. "What is it you want to know?"  
  
Zach looked at him for a long moment. "Why didn't you take me in? Why did you force me to go through hell?"  
  
Snape winced, but didn't look away. The boy deserved an explanation after all. Sighing, he gathered his thoughts and started to try and explain to his son what had happened. "You are aware about my duties to Albus, aren't you?"  
  
Zach nodded slightly, relieved that the man was finally going to explain things to him.  
  
"Well, after Voldemort fell, I was imprisoned for nearly six months in Azkaban. By the time I went to trial and Albus vouched for me, I was a mental wreck and you were already at your aunt's house. It took me nearly two years under the headmaster's constant care before I was able to function properly again. During those two years, I got my teacher's certificate and started to teach potions. I still had to live in Dumbledore's apartments, during the day I could manage, but the nights..."  
  
The man shivered and shook his head lightly. "It took me nearly another year to be able to manage on my own full time. By then, you had been at your aunts for nearly four years and as much as it pained me I thought you would be happier there."  
  
Zach frowned darkly. "You could have come and check on me."  
  
Snape passed a slightly trembling hand through his hair. "Arabella Figg was supposed to keep an eye on you, she should have warned us if something was wrong."  
  
The boy snorted. "Oh, wonderful, so as long as I wasn't beaten or killed I was fine. Nice way of taking care of me."  
  
Severus bit his lip lightly, he had expected this to be difficult, but he honestly hadn't known that the Dursley had been so bad. The boy had a lot of pent up anger and he was now releasing it over him. Not that he didn't have the right to do so, but nevertheless it hurt to know that he was responsible for the boy's distress. And yet that wasn't all, was it? The four years Harry had been there he had gone out of his way to hurt him, trying to drive him away for reasons he didn't dare to look at too closely.  
  
Zach broke the tense silence, he was still angry about his father's lack of caring, but he knew there was more, and while they were at it, they might as well get it all out. "Ok, I might be able to deal with the fact that you thought I was better off there, I still think you should have checked on me to make sure, after all, Mrs. Figg has always been more interested in her cats than in anything else. But could you explain to me why the hell you treated me like you did once I started school? From the first time you put your eyes on me you hated me, you got out of your way to humiliate me asking me things that were impossible for me to know, taking points for anything that went wrong, making my live miserable. And now you're trying to convince me you ever cared about me? You must be nuts if you think I'm going to believe you without an explanation, and it will have to be a very good one."  
  
And yet he believed him, as much as he hated himself for it, he had believed the man cared. Merlin, how pathetic was he? The man showed him a bit of kindness and he was ready to believe he cared for him. That, once again showed how starved for affection he was. The first time, when he had been ready to go with Sirius when he had offered him a place to live and now when he allowed the man to take care of him.  
  
Snape, on the other hand, was trying to come up with an explanation but he couldn't think of anything that wouldn't hurt the boy even more. There was a part easy to explain, most Slytherins would report him to their parents if he so much as ignored the boy and didn't try to make him miserable. But he doubted Zach would buy this, after all, he could have explained the situation to him, maybe not in first year, but later on. No the reason went deeper, but he was not really willing to share his darkest feelings. Yet, looking at the boy, he knew without a doubt that if he wanted to form some kind of parental bond with him, he would have to be honest. He was divided, if he told him the truth he risked losing him, if he didn't he would lose him for sure.  
  
Sighing, the man started to speak, knowing he would have to take the risk and hope for the best.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000   
  
Strolling calmly through the streets of New York were two blond teenagers. They were quite clearly involved in an argument, with the girl nearly shouting at her companion. Walking a few steps behind them, were two adults who were looking at them in exasperation. Two days around the twins, and they were ready to send them back to Hogwarts. There had been interminable arguments that usually ended with Heron nursing a red cheek. The twins were now arguing about the advantages of electrical lights versus candles. Mary couldn't help but wonder why on earth the twins were arguing about that, there were so many other things they could have been discussing, but it seemed they felt safer when they argued about nonsense. Sighing, she looked at her husband, who was shooting annoyed looks towards their adoptive daughter. Finally, the poor man left her side and quickly strode towards the two teenagers, who immediately stopped arguing when he started to speak.  
  
"You're both going to shut up right now; I've had enough of your bickering. You can consider yourselves grounded, I don't want to hear a word out of either of you until we reach the hotel."  
  
The twins gapped at him as he rejoined his wife's side, but after exchanging a look, complied. Chiara sighed slightly, it had been years since her parents had grounded her, but she was forced to admit they might be right. After all, it must not be pretty to have to spend your holidays hearing constant arguments. Looking at the blond boy walking at her side, she noticed the slight tinge of regret in his eyes. She would have to apologise later.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie.


	19. Harsh truth

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
  
The Keeper of Secrets.  
  
After having decided to tell the boy the truth, Severus collected his thoughts carefully. He knew he had to do it, but he had to make sure he wouldn't hurt the boy more than necessary due to his own stupidity. Finally, with a slightly hesitant voice, he started his speech.  
  
"Azkaban affected me much more than I'd like to admit. To know that Lily and James, my wife and my best friend, were dead hurt a lot. I didn't know that you had survived; the aurors that questioned me never spoke about you so I assumed that you had died. Once I was free and at Hogwarts again, one of the first things I found out was that you had indeed survived. But not only that, I also found out that you were clamoured as the saviour of the wizarding world." Severus licked his lips nervously and refused to look at his son. "I read everything that got in my hands about you, and all the stories that went around always said the same. Lily had given her life for you. I..." He passed a nervous hand through his hair. "I started to blame you for her death; I thought that had you not been alive, she would have lived."  
  
He couldn't say anything else; he had been such an idiot to blame the boy, his boy, for the dead of his wife. For years he had harboured those feelings for the child, and he hadn't done anything to fight against them. Then, at the feast, when he had seen him looking so much like James, he had resented him for that fact. The boy didn't have the right to look like his friend. And then there were those green eyes looking back at him defiantly in his first potion class. It had been the last straw; the child had no right to have his Lily's eyes. He had hated the boy; he hated every thing he did that reminded him of Lily.  
  
But then, when he had been in danger, he had been forced to protect him. It was impossible for him to not do so. And that is when he had started to understand. It had taken him several months to come to terms with the knowledge that he would have done the same; that had he been there that night, he would have given his live to protect his son. That knowledge had awakened him from the mindless hate he had harboured for several years, but the damage was done. He had ruined his relationship with the boy, and he was too afraid of his response to try and mend it.  
  
The man's head shot up at the sound of a door closing, and he noticed for the first time that the boy had moved, and that he had, in fact, left. For a moment, he debated whether he should go after him or not. But knowing that he had hurt the boy with his words, he stayed in place. He was probably the last person the child wanted to see at the moment, and he had already done too much damage. He was going to respect the boy's wishes for privacy.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000  
  
Harry was devastated; he had always suspected that the man might blame him for his mother's death. It was one of the only explanations he had been able to come up for the man's behaviour towards him. But to have his fears confirmed was more painful than he had ever thought possible. He had seen that the man had hesitated before telling him, and he appreciated that there was still some small kind of feeling inside him that forced him to be that kind towards him. He knew that his mother's death was his fault, he had blamed himself often enough, and he could understand his father's feelings towards him. The poor man didn't deserve to have to take care of him while he was the principal source of his pain.  
  
For a long time, Zach sat in one of the empty classrooms. When he had left his father's rooms, he had wandered around the castle for a few moments, and then he had entered there so he could have some time for himself. Curling up in one of the corners, he closed his eyes tiredly. All the anger had left him, and now he only felt sadness overpowering his senses. Snape hated him because he had killed his mother, and Zach had to agree with him. If it weren't for him, she would still be alive. And even so, the potions master had gotten him out of the Dursleys and brought him here. He had put his feelings aside and tried to fulfil his biggest wish.  
  
Sighing, Harry realized he couldn't stay here. He couldn't stay and force the man to bear with his presence. Standing up, he quietly made his way towards Dumbledore's office. Once at the entrance, he quietly muttered the password and walked up the stairs. He was very relieved to see the old man sitting in his office alone. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone else.  
  
The old man looked up when he came in and smiled widely. "Hello, Zachary, what a pleasant surprise!"  
  
The boy tried to smile at the old wizard, but while his lips moved, he knew that his eyes were dull. "Good morning, Headmaster."  
  
The old man frowned at the flat voice and dull eyes of his student. Sensing that this was not a social visit, the headmaster clasped his hands in front of him and regarded him seriously. "What can I do for you, Mr. Snape?"  
  
Zach swallowed and passed a hand through his long hair. "I would like to go back to the Dursleys, sir."  
  
The old headmaster looked startled at the sudden notice. "Why would you want to do that, my boy? Did you get into an argument with your father?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, no, we didn't have an argument." Well, they had had one, but that wasn't why he was leaving, so he decided not to mention it. Instead, he continued. "I just feel it would be better that way."  
  
Dumbledore looked at him intently. "What does Severus say about that?"  
  
The teen licked his lips. "I didn't tell him."  
  
Frowning, the man shook his head. "Shouldn't you talk with him about it? He is after all your father."  
  
"I know, but he would demand me to stay."  
  
Dumbledore rubbed his eyes. "Then I don't see the problem, child. I know you don't like it at the Dursleys and would do anything to get out of there. If Severus doesn't mind having you here, then why can't you stay?"  
  
"That's just it!" Harry sprang out of his chair and walked to the window. "It bothers him that I'm here, I can tell it does, but he's just too noble to throw me out."  
  
Dumbledore stayed quiet at those words and thought about how Severus had been acting. As far as he could tell, the younger man had been genuine about his feelings, and he really seemed to care about the three teens. But for some reason, Harry seemed to think that he was bothering Severus. He could tell there was something that the child was not telling him, but he didn't feel that he was going to tell him so he didn't pry. Finally, he sighed, if the child had so much issues it may be a good idea to give him a few days to collect himself.  
  
"Very well, child, but I think it would be better if you went to the Weasleys."  
  
Zach, who had returned to his seat, shook his head forcefully. "I'm not going to put them in danger. You've always said I'm safe at the Dursleys, so I want to go there."  
  
Dumbledore pursed his lips, but after a few minutes, he gave in. "As you wish, you should go and get your things."  
  
But Zach didn't move to comply. "If it's the same to you, I'll go now. I have my wand with me and my homework is done. There's no need to bring it all back with me."  
  
The frown on Dumbledore's face deepened, but with a last sigh, he nodded. He would be able to send the boy's things to him with Hedwig if he was going to remain there for more than a few days. From one of the drawers he picked up a sock, and with a few muttered words he turned it into a portkey. The boy became deathly pale when he noticed his way of transportation. He was trembling from head to toe, regarding the sock with distrust.  
  
The old man noticed his reaction when he extended the sock for the child to take. Frowning, he withdrew it and stood up. Kneeling at the boy's side, he placed a gentle hand on the boy's arm.  
  
"Zach, listen to me. You need to get over this; I swear to you the portkey will leave you at an alley a few streets away from Privet Drive. I've made it myself in front of you, no one has had the chance to tamper with it." The boy had calmed down lightly, but was still looking at him wearily. "Do you want me to make another?"  
  
Harry shook his head lightly. He trusted the man, and his rational mind told him that the headmaster had just made the portkey so he would end up at the right place. Taking a few deep breaths, he slowly extended his hand and picked up the sock. The headmaster stepped back a bit, and with his hand he tapped the sock.  
  
"Stay safe, Zach. Portus!"  
  
With a soft pop, the boy disappeared from his office and reappeared in the dark alley the headmaster had mentioned.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, and thanks to my beta reader Vinnie and to Leena for her support. 


	20. Back to the Dursleys

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.  
_  
**The Keeper of Secrets.  
**  
Severus had spent the rest of his day locked up in his rooms. Lunch came and passed, but the man didn't move from his place in front of the enchanted window. He was finally pulled out of his reverie when someone opened the door to his room. Snape looked up quickly, half hoping he would see his son. Sighing, he was disappointed when he saw Dumbledore let himself into his rooms. Turning once again to the window, he leaned his forehead against the cool glass.  
  
"What is it, Albus?"  
  
The old man looked at him for a long moment before sitting down. Now he was very sure something had happened between the two of them, so he readied himself for a long chat with his stubborn potions master.  
  
"You weren't at lunch, Severus."  
  
The young man shrugged but didn't look back at him. "I am aware of that, Albus. I wasn't hungry. Is there something else?"  
  
The headmaster nodded, even if he knew the younger wizard would not be able to see him. "I would like to know why Zach came to my office and asked to go back to his relative's house."  
  
Severus turned around sharply, shock written all over his features. "He did what?"  
  
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and popped a lemon drop in his mouth. "He came to my office about an hour ago and said it would be best if he went back to the Dursleys."  
  
Snape cursed softly. "I hope you didn't allow him to go."  
  
When the man didn't answer, the younger wizard cursed again. "Damn it, Albus, I don't want him to stay with those... those things!"  
  
The headmaster nodded lightly. "It wasn't my choice either, my boy. I tried to get him to stay here and talk to you, but he said you would feel forced to keep him here. Why does he think that, Severus?"  
  
The younger man frowned deeply. Zach thought he was forcing him to take him in? He had expected the boy to leave because he was angry, but the headmaster said...  
  
"Are you sure he wasn't angry, Albus?"  
  
The man looked up startled. "I'm pretty sure he wasn't angry, Severus. I would say he was very sad, but certainly not angry. I asked him if you had argued, but he said you hadn't. Should I assume he lied?"  
  
Severus shrugged. "It wasn't really an argument. He asked why I hadn't gone to fetch him from the Dursleys earlier. I told him the truth."  
  
Dumbledore frowned slightly. "I have been wondering that myself, Severus. I know that at first you wouldn't have been in any state to go get him, but why didn't you retrieve him later? And what about your animosity towards him during the last few years?"  
  
Severus sighed sadly; it had been hard to tell the boy, but he couldn't decide if this wasn't harder. After all, this man had been his friend all along, and he was sure he was going to disappoint him. "I blamed him for Lily's death."  
  
To say that the headmaster was shocked would have been an understatement. "That's nonsense, Severus!"  
  
The man whirled around. "I know that! I've known that since I saved him myself in his first year. But then the pattern was set, any change in my attitude against the boy would have been suspicious, and I wasn't about to do that."  
  
Dumbledore stood up and walked to his side. "So you don't blame him anymore?" Snape shook his head lightly. "Does Zach know?"  
  
The younger man blinked. "Excuse me?"  
  
Dumbledore let out an impatient sigh. "Zach, your son, does he know you don't blame him anymore? Because from the state he was in when I saw him, I would say he thinks you blame him, and even worse, I would think he blames himself."  
  
Dumbledore saw the moment in which realization dawned on the other man's face. Severus banged his head lightly against the window. How could he be so dense? He had allowed the boy to leave thinking that he still hated him for something that was not his fault to begin with. Shaking his head lightly, the man turned around and went to his bedroom to retrieve his cloak. There was no way he was allowing the boy to stay at his relatives' house. Besides, he wouldn't allow this to fester; he would not make the same mistake twice.  
  
When he returned to his living room, the headmaster had already left, but Severus barely noticed. He quickly made his way outside and to the apparition point just outside the wards. With a soft pop he disappeared, leaving Hogwarts behind.  
  
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000  
  
To say that the Dursleys had been displeased to see him, would have been an understatement. His uncle had screamed at him for a good twenty minutes, before he just sent him upstairs and locked him up in his room. Zach didn't mind much; he was used to the man's screamed and often took comfort from the fact that at least there was something stable in his chaotic life. His small room seemed to welcome him, and as much as he hated to admit it, he felt safe there. The walls seemed to close in on him, protecting him from the outside world.  
  
Sitting in one of the corners of the small bedroom, he replayed again and again the conversation with his father. He was so deep in thought, that he didn't hear someone ringing the door downstairs.  
  
Petunia hurried to the door. The reappearance of her nephew had put her in a bad mood, and she was barely able to whip the scowl from her face before opening the door. Her false smile froze in her face when she recognized the dark man standing in front of her. It was the same that had come to get the boy a few days ago. Swiftly, she wondered if he was here to do that again. Sighing slightly, she stepped aside and allowed the man to come in without a word. From the kitchen, her husband shouted rather loudly.  
  
"Petunia, who is it?"  
  
The woman sighed. "It's one of them. I think he's here to see the boy."  
  
Vernon came barging out of the kitchen, his red in anger. "How dare you come here, you good for nothing freak?! It's already bad enough that we have to put up with him, but I won't allow you disgusting creatures to walk in here like you own the place!"  
  
Snape eyed him carefully, his eyes filled with frosty fire. "I am here to get my son, stay out of my way, and we will both leave without further incident. If you insist in bothering me, I will be more than pleased to show you exactly why they think I'm a dark wizard." He turned around, ready to climb up the stairs, but then he stopped again, looking at the terrified muggles. "And don't think I'm going to forgive you for the way you've treated my son, but as they say, revenge is a dish better served cold, and right now, I'm still too angry to plan it."  
  
Without another word, he walked up the stairs. He quickly located what must be the door to his son's bedroom, since it had locks on it. Quickly, he slid the locks open and entered the room. At first, he wasn't able to see Harry, since he had expected him to be on the bed or the chair, but when his eyes grew used to the room's dimness, he was able to see his slender figure sitting in a corner of the room, his knees against his chest. Without lifting his head, the child spoke.  
  
"What are you doing here, sir?"  
  
Snape went to sit on the bed, his eyes never moving from his son. "I believe I said I would never allow you to stay here again and that you were to stay with me."  
  
The boy's tired voice softened a bit. "It's better this way, sir. I won't hurt you more than I already have, I killed mum and while there's nothing I can do about that, there's no way I will hurt you."  
  
The man stood up sharply and went to kneel in front of the hunched figure. "Listen, that I was foolish enough to blame you for your mother's death doesn't mean that you have to be just as stupid." Taking the boy by his shoulders, he shook him lightly. "You didn't kill your mother, and I haven't blamed you since I saved your life in your first year. It was stupid of me to hate you for that, when I would have done the same as your mother and James did."  
  
Zach finally looked up. "You would have done the same?"  
  
Snape nodded resolutely. "I think that most parents will give their lives to protect their children, and I certainly am no exception."  
  
Zach frowned and shook his head. "But she's dead, and you've been miserable because of that."  
  
Severus shook his head forcefully. "That's not true, I have been miserable because I was stupid and allowed myself to fall into a pit of despair and hate. Had I come to get you, and had I claimed you as my son, I would have known the love I needed to be happy. I wouldn't have been the same as with Lily, but I would have had you with me to make it better."  
  
Zach stayed silent, looking hesitantly at the man. Did he mean it? His dark eyes only showed honesty, but was he ready to trust him? He wasn't sure, but maybe he could try. Severus, who had been looking at him intently, was quite pleased to see a small shiver of acceptance in those green eyes. It was not the happiness he would have liked, but it was a start, and it was enough to reassure him that things would be alright.  
  
The man stood up and extended a hand. "Up, Zach, it's time to go home."  
  
The boy smiled slightly and gripped his father's hand tightly. Yes, this might work out after all.  
  
To be continued...  
  
_A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie_. 


	21. The Vision

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Truths.

The Dursleys were nowhere in sight when they walked down the stairs, and Harry immediately headed to the door, but his father stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, Zach, I want to see that cupboard of yours."

The child looked up at him uneasily. "Why, sir?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I want to see exactly how much I'm going to have to hurt your relatives when I come back here later." Harry looked at him startled and a bit apprehensive. The other man noticed and looked at him intently. "I promise I won't kill them or anything like that, but let me assure you that they are going to pay for the way they've treated you."

Harry nodded lightly, but in his inner thoughts, he wondered why Snape was so angry when he had done just as much damage as the Dursleys had. Silently, the boy showed his father the tiny cupboard he had used as a child. The man looked at it for a long moment, and then he nodded and closed the cupboard again.

Together, they left the Dursleys' residence, and Snape apparated them back to Hogwarts.

Everyone was at dinner, but instead of leading him towards the Great Hall, Snape continued towards the dungeons, with Harry trailing silently behind him. Once there, the man asked for a house elf to bring them dinner and to warn the headmaster that they were back into the castle so the old man wouldn't worry. Just as had happened at breakfast that morning, the Potions Master pilled up some food in front of him before he sat down in his own chair.

The boy sighed heavily before picking up his fork and starting to eat, hoping there would not be a repeat from the morning. This time, when Harry lowered his fork, Snape didn't press him to eat more, but he did frown at the small amount the boy had consumed. "You really should eat more, Zach."

The boy looked up at him hesitantly, but his father didn't say anything else. Instead, the man filled a glass with milk. "Here, drink this at least."

Harry was more than happy to compromise and drank the glass without complain. It seemed his father didn't want a repeat of that morning either. When they were both finished, Harry stood up and stretched. He felt tired; the day had been very emotional and had left him drained. Yet it was early, and he didn't know if he wanted to go to bed yet.

His father solved that problem for him when he noticed the exhausted gleam in his eyes. "You should go to bed, you're looking like you're about to fall asleep standing up."

Zach frowned; he really was not used to all this ordering around. "It's still too early."

Severus chuckled lightly and wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Is it? Very well then, let's settle down in front of the fireplace and read for a while."

Since the boy didn't have anything else to do, he followed the older man and picked up the book he had been reading the day before.

Snape couldn't help but chuckle lightly when he looked up barely twenty minutes later and saw his son deeply asleep, his book lying closed on his lap. Shaking his head, the man stood up and went to gather the teen into his arms. The boy was really too thin; he would have to make sure he ate some more before school started in less than a month. It took Severus nearly half an hour to get Zach comfortably settled into bed. Even if the boy wasn't heavy, it was quite difficult to get someone else into pyjamas and into bed. Next time, he would insist his son to go to bed when he told him to, or else he would have to wake him up, no matter how peaceful he looked when asleep.

It was barely a few hours later, when Severus was woken up abruptly by a scream coming from the room next to his own. Knowing that Zach was the only one near his rooms, he jumped out of bed, put on a robe, and ran out of his room.

The sight that greeted him was not what he had been expecting. He thought he would see something ready to hurt Zach. Instead, he saw his son trashing on his bed, limbs flying around as if trying to keep something away. His screams had stopped, and he was now whimpering as if he was in pain. Severus was startled out of his surprise when Harry rolled to his side and curled up in a small ball, sweat shinning on his forehead. Quickly, he put the wand he had been holding away and hurried to the bed.

Sitting down, he put a hand on the boy's shoulder just when Zach opened his eyes.

"Zach?" The boy simply whimpered, curling up and trembling violently under his hand. "Hush, it was only a dream."

The boy shook his head slightly, but it seemed that the movement was hurting him so he had to stop. Looking around, Snape saw the blankets resting on the floor and stood up to pick them up. He had barely taken a step when a small, strong hand closed around the sleeves of his robe. Looking down, he noticed that Zach was looking at him intently, through pain-filled eyes.

"Dumbledore... I need to speak with Dumbledore."

Severus frowned. "It's barely four in the morning, you can speak with him at breakfast if you want to."

His voice was soft but it was obvious that wasn't the answer the boy wanted for he started to pull himself up. The older man gently pushed him back into the pillows, a bit disturbed at the wince his touch caused. "What's going on, Zach? Are you hurt?"

The youth tried to sit up again, despite the hand resting on his shoulder. "Doesn't matter, I need to speak to Dumbledore."

Severus sighed in frustration. What was he supposed to do? The boy was obviously in pain, but he wouldn't be able to do anything about it unless Zach told him why he was hurt. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to get Dumbledore. The old wizard may know what was going on. "Very well, I'll get him if you promise me to lie still until we're back."

Zach relaxed slightly and nodded. Severus looked at him for a moment, and draped the discarded blanket over the shivering body.

It took a few tried with the floo-powder before he managed to wake Dumbledore up, but within fifteen minutes, the old man was in his room. The headmaster hadn't seemed very disturbed at being woken up so early in the morning, and Severus was for once glad about it; he really wasn't in the mood to give long explanations, he wanted to know what was wrong with his son.

When both wizards entered Zach's room, the youth was sitting up in bed with the blankets pulled tightly around his shivering form. Severus frowned at him. "I thought I told you to lie still."

The boy didn't seem to hear him, his attention was fully on the headmaster who had moved to sit at the bed's edge.

"Headmaster, I just had a dream."

Dumbledore nodded in acceptance. "Was it one of those dreams?"

The boy nodded lightly, while Severus' frown deepened, what was there so special about a dream? He was pulled out of his musings when Dumbledore continued to question the boy. "Are you hurt? Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?"

Harry grimaced lightly. "Just a cruciatus, it will get better after I've rested for a bit."

Dumbledore and Snape both frowned, but for different reasons. "Zach, a cruciatus is a cruciatus no matter how many times you've been under it."

At the same time, the angry potions master demanded to know what was going on. "Cruciatus? What does it have to do with you? Will someone please tell me what is going on?"

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment. "Not now, Severus, I'll tell you when Zach is resting." Turning towards the boy, the headmaster looked him over carefully. "Can you tell me what the nightmare was about?"


	22. The Vision, Harry's version

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters._

**Keeper of Secrets.**

_Harry's dream_

Harry sighed in resignation when he saw he was standing in an old and dark room. He didn't need to look around to know who would be sitting in the large seat standing a few feet apart from him. He winced slightly at the burning pain coming from his scar, but knowing he wouldn't be able to leave the dream, he turned to face the snake-like man. Voldemort hadn't changed since he saw him in the graveyard the year before. He was dressed in long dark-green robes and was sitting in the chair with Nagini wrapped around his feet. A death eater was kneeling in front of him. Zach recognized the blonde hair at once, knowing that Malfoy was the one currently waiting his master's words. What surprised him slightly was the fact that there was no other death eater in the room. Harry walked closer and got to Malfoy's side just in time to hear Voldemort start speaking.

"Lucius, this is a very important matter. I need you to find something for me."

The death eater lifted his head slightly. "Master?"

Voldemort sat straighter in his chair, his eyes gleaming evilly and intently, completely focused on the man kneeling in front of him. "It's a book, a very old book; I think it might be in either the Ministry or the old fool's possession. It's called the Book of Zoa. It's imperative that I get it in my possession, and you will have to find it."

Malfoy looked hesitantly to the man. "Yes, Master, but do you know anything more about it?"

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, and Malfoy and Harry tensed at the same time, ready to experience the pain from the cruciatus. Luckily, for both of them, Voldemort just moved his hand impatiently. "Many people think that the book of Zoa is just a myth; it explains about how wizards came into existence. But most important, it explains about a race, who..."

The door opened at once and Wormtail scurried in, stopping shortly when he saw Voldemort and Lucius glaring at him.

"M...m...master!"

The snake-like man stood up, waking Nagini in the process. "How dare you interfere in such an important meeting?"

Lucius didn't move, but Zach braced himself, knowing that that would most probably be the end of the meeting for him.

"I'm sorry..."

"Crucio!"

The next moment, a stabbing pain started to run through Zach's scar. He knew that he was screaming and that he would likely awaken his father since he hadn't been able to place silencing charms around his room, but at the moment, he didn't care. He just wanted to wake up and stop feeling like hundreds of knives were racing through his body. Finally, just when warm hand settled on his shoulder, he was able to wake himself up and open his eyes.

"Zach."

Harry sighed a bit; he hadn't expected his father to be here but he supposed he had been shouting again. Stupid nightmares, why couldn't the visions leave him alone? Against his wishes, a small whimper came out of his mouth and he curled up, trying to diminish the pain cursing through his body.

His father's voice filled the room once again. "Hush, it was only a dream."

If he hadn't been in pain, the boy would have glared at him. How could the man call his visions dreams? A small voice in his head reminded him that his father probably didn't know about the visions; he hadn't thought about telling him, and knowing how fond Dumbledore was on secrets, he doubted the man would have bothered to inform his father. Keeping that in mind, he tried to shake his head and explain what really had happened, but the pain was just too much, and he wasn't able to move properly. Giving up on trying to communicate with his father, who was right now looking around the room as if searching for something, Harry concentrated on his memories of the vision. Voldemort had been talking about needing The Book of Zoa. That in itself had been a shock for the teen. He had often heard that name years ago, but he never thought he would hear it again. What did Voldemort want with it? And most importantly, what was such a book doing here in England? Well, that might not really be the right question, since he had his own copy of the book, safely hidden in his trunk, but he couldn't figure out a reason as for why any other such books would be out here.

Then another question popped up in his mind. How did Voldemort even know about the book? Could it be that the wizarding world still retained stories of the old days? Those days in which humans weren't the ones ruling the world? He would have to research that when he was feeling better. A small movement coming from his father startled him out of his thoughts. Noticing that the man moving away from the bed, Harry reached out and clamped his hand around one of the sleeves of his father's robe. He would be able to think things through later on; right now he needed to speak with Dumbledore.

When the man turned to face him, Zach saw the concern in the black eyes but he decided to ignore it for now. "Dumbledore... I need to speak with Dumbledore."

Damn, what was wrong with him? He had only been put under one cruciatus, he should be used to it by now.

"It's barely four in the morning; you can speak with him at breakfast if you want to."

Harry frowned; he couldn't wait that long, he needed to tell the Headmaster now. Slowly and carefully, he started to pull himself up, trying to jostle his sore body as little as possible. His movements were soon interrupted when a gentle hand pushed him back into his pillows. He couldn't help but wince at the pain that that slight movement caused, and his father noticed this time.

"What's going on, Zach? Are you hurt?"

Instead of answering the obvious question, Harry tried to get up again; the only thoughts running through his mind were that he needed to speak to Dumbledore. "Doesn't matter, I need to speak to Dumbledore."

He heard his father's soft sigh, but he ignored him. He didn't care what the man was feeling right now; he would talk with the headmaster now, or he would exhaust himself into trying.

Finally, he was able to cease his struggle when Snape gave into his demands. "Very well, I'll get him if you promise me to lie still until we're back."

Harry nearly sighed in relief and relaxed in the bed, nodding his head slightly. Now that he knew that his father was going to get the headmaster, he began to feel the coldness coating the room and the pain that still filled his limbs. A blanket was wrapped around him and he watched surprised as his father left the room. Snape never had seemed the kind of man to be caring and thoughtful; he would need to change the way he regarded the older man and do it soon.

As the minutes ran by, Harry started to get impatient again, and in an effort to keep his mind on other things, he started to move on the bed and got into a sitting position. He didn't want to talk to the old man while lying down. He was just leaning back against the headboard, the blankets tucked tightly around his shivering form, when the door opened, and Snape finally came back with Dumbledore.

He was so relieved at seeing the old man, that he barely heard his father's displeased words. "Headmaster, I just had a dream."

Luckily, Dumbledore just nodded in acceptance, he didn't seem angry at being woken up at such an hour. "Was it one of those dreams?"

Harry nodded lightly. He was already opening his mouth to tell the headmaster what he had seen when the old man spoke again. "Are you hurt? Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?"

Zach blinked once and grimaced, he had been trying to forget about the pain, considering that the information was much more important. "Just a cruciatus, it will get better after I've rested for a bit."

That didn't seem to appease the two men. Both frowned and started to talk at the same time. "Zach, a cruciatus is a cruciatus no matter how many times you've been under it."

"Cruciatus? What does it have to do with you? Will someone tell me what is going on?"

Harry looked at his father for a moment; the man seemed angry at being left in the dark, but was it concern what he saw hiding behind the anger? Maybe the man really was worried about him but didn't know how to express it. And he could understand his anger; he didn't like it either when the adults didn't tell him something. Zach was startled out of his pensive mood by Dumbledore's voice. "Not now, Severus, I'll tell you when Zach is resting." Harry didn't look at the headmaster when he turned around to face him again. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on his father, who was darkly glaring at the two of them, obviously not happy with that answer. "Can you tell me what the nightmare was about?"

_To be continued..._

_A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader Vinnie._


	23. Consequences of a dream

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters._

**The Keeper of Secrets.**

Quickly, Harry told his father and the old headmaster about Voldemort's and Lucius' meeting and about the book they were looking for. Severus had listened to it all silently, but the dark expression on his face told him that he was far from happy with what he was hearing. When he reached the part in which Wormtail had been cursed, the younger man left the room in a hurry, only to return with a light blue potion clutched in his fist. The Potions Master gave the potion to the boy. "Drink this, it will help you with the pain."

Zach frowned lightly. "Sir, it's alright, I'm sure you'll need it more than I do."

The teen tried to return the vial to his father, but the man only glared at him sternly. "Nonsense, I can make more of that potion when I want. Besides, this is not up to discussion, either you drink it or I will force it down your throat. Did I make myself clear?"

Harry nodded lightly. "Crystal."

Once he had downed the potion, he tried to turn his attention back to the headmaster, who had been watching the proceedings with an amused glint in his eyes, but found himself too tired to focus on the man. His eyes were closing, and in his head, he cursed the Potions Master. He was sure he had laced the potion with a sleeping draught. Already half asleep, he felt gentle hands moving him into a lying position and covering him up with the warm blankets. Knowing it was no use trying to fight one of his father's potions, the teen surrendered to sleep, promising himself he would tell his father exactly what he thought about what he had done to him.

Once they were sure Zach was completely asleep, both teachers moved towards the living room, leaving the door open in case the teen had a nightmare again. Once they were there, Snape whirled around and glared at Dumbledore. "Why did I never know about this?"

The old man pursed his lips and sat down in a chair facing the empty fireplace. "Had I known he was your son, I would have told you. But I didn't think it was necessary for you to know about the link Harry shares with Voldemort. The less people to know, the safer this secret will be. It's not the first time that Harry has been able to warn me of something Voldemort was about to do, and at some of those times, not even you knew about what the Dark Lord had planned."

Something clicked in Snape's mind. Once the Dark Lord had accepted him back into his fold, he had had to prove himself again by killing a few muggles. He had been forced to remain with the snake like man from the time he had been told what was going to happen until it was time for the raid. To say Voldemort had been furious when he saw that no one was left for them to kill would have been an understatement. Once he had returned, Severus had been too relieved to ask how Dumbledore had managed to know what the Dark Lord was planning. From then on, the occasional warnings the old man got when he wasn't able to provide the information himself had kept him safe from Voldemort's wrath and had helped him in getting on his good graces again. He had never asked for Dumbledore's source; he had just been grateful for the help and not given it a second thought. Now he wished he had. Had he found out that his son was the one providing the extra information and that he usually ended up being in pain for it, he would have tried to help the teen, either with potions or by finding a way to sever the link to the Dark Lord.

The other fact that angered him was that Dumbledore seemed content to leave things as they were. How could the old man allow one of his students to suffer like that? There had to be some way in which the old man could stop the visions. But of course, he knew the headmaster considered that to be a too important tool to stop it.

Scowling, the younger professor sat in the armchair next to the headmaster's and tried to think about what his son had said. "What is the Book of Zoa?"

Dumbledore blinked up, startled out of his thoughts by the other man. "I'm not very sure, Severus. I believe my grandfather used to tell me about a mystic book that held the secret of the birth of the wizarding race, but I don't seem to be able to recall much more than that. It might not even be that book."

Snape scowled at the man. "Knowing Voldemort, chances are that that is exactly the book he is searching for. After all, if he knew why wizards were created, he may find out where they get their power from, and try to use all the power for his own purposes."

Dumbledore nodded, a pensive glint still in his eyes. "I suspect you're right, Severus. I'll try to find some more information about the book. If we could find it before Lucius does, we will have a large advantage over them."

Snape nodded but didn't answer. He wasn't sure they would be able to find it before the Malfoy lord did. Lucius had hundred of connections spread around the world, and while Dumbledore had just as many, the fact that he was now at odds with the Ministry had severely affected the man's influence. After a while, Severus realized that it was quite late and that the headmaster was making no move to leave. Turning to face Dumbledore again, he noticed the man was looking towards Harry's room.

"Is there something wrong, Headmaster?"

Albus, looked up quite startled, but then he shook his head slowly. "No, it's probably just my imagination."

Snape frowned. He could tell there was something bothering the old man, and since he suspected it had to do with his son, he decided to press the matter. "Albus, we both know that your imagination doesn't usually play tricks on you. Tell me what's bothering you about Zach."

Dumbledore smiled a bit and leaned back into his chair. "It's nothing definite; I just have the strange feeling that Zach knows more than he lets on."

Snape looked at him in surprise. He hadn't sensed anything like that, but on the other hand, he had been too angry and concerned to really pay attention at the teen. "What makes you say that?"

Albus shrugged slightly. "As I said, it's just a feeling. I've been trying to pinpoint what's bothering me, but I can't say. Forget about it, Severus, I'm probably just tired. It is, after all, quite late."

The Potions Master nodded reluctantly, knowing he would not get another word about it out of the man. The headmaster stood up, and after bidding the younger wizard good night, he leaves the room silently. Snape stays seated in his chair for a while longer before going back to bed. On his way there, he enters his son's bedroom once more and checks on his son, who is still sleeping peacefully; after rearranging the blankets around his small form, he gently kisses the teen's forehead and went to his room to try and get some more sleep.

_To be continued..._

__

_A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader, Vinnie._


	24. Old legends

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Warning: Some things in this chapter have been taken from the Play Station game Legend of Dragoon. While it's not going to be a crossover it could contain major spoilers so if you want to play it don't read.

The Keeper of Secrets

Harry woke up late the next morning, and even if he had slept several hours since his vision, he was still feeling sore and tired. Sighing, he sat up in his bed, knowing he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again due to the pain he was feeling. Slowly, he got out of bed, and after picking out some clothes to wear for the day, he went to the bathroom to take a hot shower, hoping it would soothe the pain in his limbs.

After the long shower and with his muscles much more relaxed than before, Zach went to the living room, wondering where the Potions Master had gone. He told himself that he wasn't in a hurry to see the man, but he had expected to see him around after what had happened last night. In the living room, he found that someone, most likely his father, had left a plate with some food and a glass of milk. Walking closer, he noticed a note next to them. He sat down and picked the note up.

_Zachary:_

_I'm at a meeting with Dumbledore, and I won't be back until noon. I want you to eat everything up, and after that, drink the potion I've left on your bedside table; it will help with the lingering pain from the cruciatus. It will probably make you dizzy so I want you to stay in bed until I come back._

_S.S. _

Harry carefully folded the small piece of paper and looked at his breakfast pensively. The note was short and to the point, as one would have expected from the Potions Master; it was cold and didn't show much affection, yet Zach found it strangely comforting and protective. Thinking back at when he had refused his father's help to heal his hand, he decided to obey the man, after all, he was still in pain despite the shower he had taken, and if the man thought he would get dizzy, he was probably right. Slowly, the teen ate his breakfast, noticing that his father had made sure not to put too much food on his plate. Even so, he had some trouble finishing it. When he was finally done, he went back to his own room and saw the vial he hadn't noticed earlier that morning. Picking up his book, he went to sit on the bed, and then carefully, he downed the light violet potion.

Closing his eyes, he felt as all his muscles slowly started to relax, and without meaning to, he fell against the pillows, unable to keep himself sitting up and giving thanks that he was sitting instead of standing. The relief he felt was so big that he started to feel light-headed. The book that he had been holding in his hand slid to the floor, and he didn't try to pick it up again; besides he wouldn't be able to read while the room swam in front of his eyes anyway. Slowly, he let himself slide down till he was lying on the bed and just allowed the warm feeling from the potion to completely relax him and lull him to sleep.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The rooms were silent when he returned from the meeting. Albus had summoned him early that morning and had asked for him to go up to his office where a small meeting would be held. He had done so reluctantly; he didn't want to leave his son alone after last night's happenings, but he knew the boy would probably sleep till mid-morning, and even then, there was not much he could do to help him but to give him a potion and allow him to sleep it off. After eating a quick breakfast and arranging his son's food, he went to the teen's room where he was still sleeping peacefully. After making sure everything was alright and leaving the potion Zach would have to drink after breakfast, he wrote a quick note and left the room.

He was the last one to arrive at the headmaster's office. Arthur Weasley was already there with Alastor Moody, the real one, and an old man who was introduced to him as David Tollman. It seemed the man was specialized in ancient magic and its history. That and the fact that he was one of Albus' most trusted friends allowed him to be part of the meeting. In a few words, the Headmaster explained everything Harry had told them the night before. Everyone listened closely to the old man, trying to figure out how they could discover what the mysterious book was and why Voldemort wanted it so badly. Once he was finished, Albus turned to face his old friend, who was gazing out of the window pensively.

"Do you know anything about this book, David? I think I heard some reference about it in an old legend, but I can't quite remember what it was about."

The man looked up pensively and returned his gaze to Dumbledore. "You have quite a good memory, as usual, Albus. I remember your grandfather used to tell us that legend. Yes, I remember it, but it was never proved to be anything but a legend."

Moody shifted in his seat. "Even if that was the case, we can't take our chances where You-Know-Who is concerned, can you tell us the legend so we can start to look for the book?"

David nodded slightly. "Very well, but I warn you that there might not be anything true about it." Taking a deep breath, the man got settled more comfortably in his chair. "More than 10,000 years ago, the world was formed by the father of all gods, Zoa. With his power, he created the earth and the air, the water and the fire. After a while, he got tired of it and decided to create something with which he could amuse himself. He decided to create lie.

To do so, he created a tree, a tree that would have 108 fruits. From each of those fruit a species would emerge and cover the world he had just created. Each species would be more complex than the last and so the last ones would rule the world. So, the Dragoons, powerful creatures but lacking intelligence, came from the 104th fruit, the human beings, highly intelligent but without much power, came from the 106th fruit. Over them all would rule the wingly, as intelligent as the humans but with a high control on magic, they were the 107th specie. Over them, only the god of destruction was left, Zoa created him because as everything has a beginning, it must also have an end, the god of Destruction would be the end of all.

For a very long time, the wingly ruled over the world, all creatures and especially the humans, were enslaved by their tyrannical rule. They used their power over the Tree of Life and made sure that the 108th fruit would never mature and that the god of destruction would never be born. Once they had achieved that, they sat back and lived peaceful lives. But their peace wouldn't last long. The humans, tired of being enslaved by such cruel beings, started to plan a revolution. Under the lead of Emperor Diaz, they finally managed to find a way to obtain enough power to overrule the wingly. Somehow, no one knows how, the humans managed to use the power of the Dragons as they would their own. Not everyone could use said power, only a few were able to control it, and so they came to be known as the Dragoons.

With their help, the humans managed to overpower the wingly, and the few that survived the Great Battle were forced to go into hiding. The legend tells that all Dragoons dies in that battle, defending the rights of the human race and that with them, the secret of the Dragons also disappeared. Human society suffered a great set back, but without the wingly to rule over them, they managed to create their own world. The only things that remained from the old world of the wingly are shattered ruins of great power scattered around the world and several books. Of those books, the most important is the Book of Zoa, which contains most of the secrets the wingly held in their hands and the teachings that the god Zoa bestowed upon them."

David's strong voice faded away, and the office became silent. Severus was fighting with himself. The story seemed too incredible to be truth, yet Voldemort obviously believed some of it, else he wouldn't have sent Malfoy to look for the book. Looking around, the dark man saw that the others were thinking along the same ways he had, disbelief and confusion lingering on their faces. Dumbledore was the only one that seemed to be considering the story seriously. Sighing, the old man finally looked up and smiled slightly to David.

"Thank you a lot for this, David, how you are able to remember all those facts after so many years is still beyond me."

The old man laughed softly. "It has always been a matter of interest and you know it, Albus, you never gave much for those stories or you would have remembered it yourself."

Dumbledore chuckled for a bit before turning serious. "Do you have any idea where we could start in our search?"

Tollman shook his head. "I don't know, Albus, I never considered the legend to be true."

Arthur spoke for the first time in a while. "You mentioned the power of dragons, maybe the dragon keepers still remember those legends or have some record of them."

Albus smiled at the red-haired man. "That's not a bad idea, Arthur, could you contact Charlie and ask him to find out if they have something in Romania about it?"

Arthur nodded slightly; after all, they wouldn't lose anything by trying to track down the mysterious book. Alastor looked uncomfortable with the idea of chasing after ancient legends, but promised he would ask around the auror division to see if anyone knew anything about it. Lastly, Dumbledore turned to Severus, who was leaning against one of the large windows of the headmaster's office.

"Severus, I would like you to talk to your son, ask him to tell you what happened last night again, in case he forgot about something."

The Potions Master nodded. "I will; I might also be able to get in contact with Lucius."

Dumbledore pressed his lips together. "No, Severus, I don't want you to get near Lucius again, especially not after what happened with Heron."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I will see him when Voldemort summons him."

The old headmaster regarded him calmly. "When the Dark Lord summons you, you will ignore his call."

The dark haired wizard straightened sharply. "I can't do that, he will find out I'm a spy!"

Dumbledore shook his head firmly. "You're not going to be a spy anymore, Severus. You have a son and two godchildren to think about now, and I won't allow you to risk your life anymore. You have done more than your part in this battle, and now your services as a potion master will come in handy. Besides, I need you to protect Zach."

The man frowned; it wasn't that he didn't want to be there for his son, but he couldn't accept the man's words. He was aware that Dumbledore had managed to place a few other spies in Voldemort's ranks, but could they really allow themselves to lose the information he provided? Looking around the room, he decided to let the matter rest for now; he didn't want to cause a scene in front of the other men, but he promised himself that he would have a long chat with the headmaster soon.

When Severus nodded without further complain, Albus narrowed his eyes. He knew that the man was going to be difficult about this, but he was going to stay firm with his decision. He had already taken the pertinent steps so that the Ministry would leave Snape alone even if he didn't spy for the light side anymore. They would come into effect as soon as Fudge acknowledged Voldemort's return.

Shaking his head to chase those thoughts away, Albus stood up and bid everyone goodbye, and inviting David to stay a few days in the castle with him. As soon as the headmaster had dismissed them, Severus hurried back to his rooms, concern over his son overruling all his other thoughts at the moment.

Once back in his silent rooms, he walked to the teen's bedroom and was relieved to see him sleeping peacefully, an empty vial standing on his night table. Silently, not wanting to startle his sleeping son, he walked to the bed and drew a light blanket over him. He picked up the book with a small chuckle, and placed it next to the vial. After making sure the boy would sleep for a while longer, he walked back to the living room and summoned a house-elf. After asking lunch to be served in his rooms, he went to change into something more comfortable. While he would never walk through the halls in anything but his black teaching robe, he preferred to wear something less formal in the safety of his own rooms. He knew that Zach would see him, but since the boy was his son, he would make an effort to be as comfortable as possible in his presence; after all, the boy would be around for quite a while.

Once the house-elf returned with their lunch, Severus returned to the boy's bedroom. He didn't want to wake him up, but he was trying to put him back on regular meals, so he would have to do it. Besides, it would do the teen no good to sleep the day away; after all, he would need to sleep that night too.

Once in his son's bedroom, the man sat down on the bed next to the young wizard and gently shook him. "Come on, Zach, wake up."

The teen stirred a bit and curled up on his side. Sighing in amusement, Severus shook the teen a bit more. "Zach, it's time to have lunch; you've been asleep for hours, wake up."

A green eye peeked at him from the dark lashes. "Still tired, not hungry."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I don't care if you're not hungry, you need to eat, and if you're tired, you can take a nap after lunch, but I would advise against it, unless you want to stay awake the whole night."

Harry groaned in annoyance, and finally opened both eyes to glare at his father. The man wasn't impressed and simply smirked back at him. Standing up, he held out a hand to the teen. "Come on, up with you."

Zach grumbled something under his breath, but accepted the man's help to sit up. His muscles were still relaxed and it felt funny to sit. Knowing that the boy's limbs wouldn't really work correctly so soon after the potion, Snape passed an arm around the boy's waist and hoisted him up. Harry looked at the man shocked and tried to stand on his own, but he felt his legs tremble under him.

"That stuff you gave me is strong."

Snape chuckled slightly as he started to make his way to the living room, allowing the boy to mark the pace. "I know, you should actually not move much today or you're likely to end up sprawled on the ground."

The teen smirked up at him. "Talking from previous experiences, Professor?"

The man slapped him lightly on his behind. "Brat." Then after a moment, he added. "Be grateful you don't need to do anything important and can take the potion, else you would be in pain for several days."

Harry chose not to comment on that remark. He knew the man was right, as he had experienced the pain from cruciatus before. He also understood that the man was talking from his own experiences, after all, he couldn't be down for a day after each meeting, it would seem rather suspicious.

Once they were settled on the table, they ate in silence. Zach ate slowly but didn't try to stop when he was full, knowing the man would demand he ate everything anyways. Once they were finished, Snape helped him to the bathroom, which was very embarrassing for the teen, and then they got settled in the living room. Harry looked over at his father questioningly, knowing he probably needed something from him or he would have gone straight to his potions lab.

Correctly interpreting the boy's gaze, Snape started to speak, knowing there was no sense in stalling the talk they needed to have upon the headmaster's insistence.

"As you know, I had a meeting with the headmaster this morning; he has asked me to ask you to retell the vision, in case something escaped your mind yesterday."

Harry nodded in acceptance and started to tell his vision to his father, trying to retell everything as accurately as he had the night before, maintaining the small changes he had done to the original story.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie.


	25. Lady Rose

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Once Zach had told his father the vision again, the older man left the room and went to talk to Dumbledore once more. The teen stayed on the couch, thinking about what he had seen the night before.

What should he do? He had the Book in his possession, but he somehow doubted that Voldemort had been talking about his copy; after all, no one knew he had it. Harry frowned, if they thought that there was another copy lying around somewhere, he would have to warn someone. Closing his eyes, he thought back to the old woman he had briefly known many years back. She had moved into Prived Drive when he was seven. As usual, his aunt had gone to visit her and offer her help in all she could, which usually meant that Harry would be doing all the work. Surprisingly, the old woman had gratefully accepted his aunt's help, and they had quickly arranged for him to go help her each evening for a few hours. It seemed the old lady was well off and had payed his aunt quite a bit for his help.

Harry had accepted it, as he usually did such things, guessing that the woman could not be any worse than his own aunt. The next evening, after school, he had gone directly to her house. He had been fairly surprised when she ushered him to the kitchen, and instead of ordering him to start cleaning, she offered him a glass of milk and a biscuit, mentioning that he was way too thin. While he ate, she told him that she was perfectly able to take care of herself; she just had wanted some company. She kindly asked if he would mind spending his evenings with her. Of course, Harry had quickly reassured her that it was fine, after all, it was either that or work at home. After that, she introduced herself as Lady Rose and that was what he had kept calling her, no matter that at the time he didn't know where the lady came from.

She always ordered him to complete his homework first and then they spoke. At first, it was mostly about school or how their day had gone, but as trust grew, she started to tell him stories. Wonderful stories about wars and dragons and heroes. He longed to hear them, even if his younger self was sure that they were just the product of the imagination of an old woman. Without even noticing, the old woman started to teach him many things about the old stories, quizzing him every day to see if he remembered them correctly. At the time, he had considered it a game and had done his best to commit everything she said to memory. The winter after his ninth birthday, Lady Rose fell ill. It wasn't bad, the doctors said it was just a cold, and they considered it normal for someone her age, but something seemed to change that day. Harry, worried, spent all his waking time with her, and the Lady changed her histories for language lessons. Harry took the flowy language in; it had a nice ring, and the woman forced him to learn it for hours, reciting the strange, exciting words or writting in the small, curvy characters.

The day of his tenth birthday she took him down to the house's basement. There was the hugest library he had ever seen and all the books seemed to be written in the language he had been learning. That was the first time that he seriously considered that maybe all those stories were much more than the ramblings of an old woman. He could still remember the conversation they had had in the dark basement.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Are you impressed, young one?"

She rarely called him by his own name, and while at first he had been pretty annoyed at it, as he was not so young after all, now he accepted it as the pet name it was.

"It's huge, Lady Rose, are they all written in Draconian?"

The woman nodded sitting down on a worn, leather couch. "Yes, they are. Now listen to me, young one." Harry sat on the ground in front of her and looked at her intently; it must be serious if she asked for him to listen. "In the last few years I have been teaching you the base of my knowledge, not many people know about what I have explained you, and to my knowledge, you are the only one of them that is human." She paused for a moment and then continued. "When I came to live here, I knew I had few years left, but I didn't want to leave this world without passing on as much of my knowledge as possible. There is something special about you and you're still young, I chose you because I think you will use the knowledge wisely if you ever need it."

Harry frowned, he didn't like the implications of her words; was she really going to die so soon? He tried to find something comforting to say but she didn't give him the chance.

"All these books are going to be for you when I die, which I suspect will not be long coming. You are the only one able to read them, except for the wingueds, but they will not interfere with you unless something threatens their own existence."

While his mind tried to get around the fact that Lady Rose was telling him that the wingueds were real, the woman took an old, worn book from the shelf. She extended it to him, and he took it in shaky hands.

"This book is a communication book, there is only another one in existence; Lady Charle, Ruler of the Wingueds has the other one. If you ever need to let the wingued know something, write it on this book in the old language; they will answer if necessary."

Harry nodded lightly, but then he looked around the huge basement, remembering something she had told him before. "Lady Rose?"

The woman smiled kindly down at him. "Yes, young one?"

"You said all these books were for me?" The woman nodded. "But I won't be able to keep them! The Dursley won't allow it; they will throw them away."

The woman smiled softly at him and stood up. "Come here, Child."

Harry went with her to one side of the room. There he saw a small crystal. Lady Rose put a frail hand over it and softly she said: _Maiolams_, the Draconian word for close. To his amazement, the whole basement started to glow, and in a few seconds, only the crystal remained in the woman's hand, it was glowing softly with a purple light. She handed it to him.

"In this thiny crystal rests the knowledge of a whole world; I will keep it with me until I die, and then it will go to you and only you will be able to make it obey." Taking the crystal back, she placed it once again against the wall and said: _Slamishun_, which meant open, and the library reapeared as if it had never been gone.

"Amazing."

The woman laughed softly, and she led them to one of the shelves placed in the center of the room. "Do you see these books, young one?"

She pointed to the three beautifully bound books. Harry nodded lightly. "These three are the true gems of this collection." Pointing to the blue one, she continued with her speech, adopting her lecturing tone. "The blue one is the Dragons World, it explains all the secrets of the dragons gathered through the years by all the Dragoons, while it's more imformative than useful; there is no other copy of it." Pointing to the one next to it, she continued. "This green one is the Book of Magic; it talks about the old magic, on one side, the one that is used by wingueds and on the other, the magic used by half wingueds, meaning wizards. It's self-updating so any knowledge will be logged in it. This is a very powerful book; in the wrong hands, it could cause a lot of damage." Finally, she pointed to the silver book. "The last one if the Book of Magic, this contains all I have been telling you over the years; there are several copies around the world and while most people think it's a nice fiction book there are those that might believe in what it says." She turned to regard him seriously. "Should someone ever believe in this and try to once again awaken the power of the Dragoons or draw the wingueds out of hidding, the world would be put in danger. Guard this well, Harry, no one is to know you have this in your possession, and once you feel that you are about to leave this world, pass the knowledge to someone worthy of it."

Harry looked at her seriously before nodding his head solemnly. While he was still young, her teachings over the years had made sure that he understood how important this was to her. He might not understand how important it would become to guard the books, but to him, the importance of the knowledge to Lady Rose was enough for him.

The days that followed went by as if their chat in the basement had never happened. Lady Rose taught and Harry learned all he could. That winter, the woman fell ill again, and while at first the doctors were sure it was nothing serious, the illness slowly took over the woman. On the first of March, Harry was called out of class with the message that Lady Rose was dying and that she had asked for him. Forgetting his books, he rushed towards the house, tears already running down his face. His aunt was there with a doctor, but he ignored them both, quickly making his way to the woman's bedroom. Lady Rose smiled tiredly at him, and he went to sit down at her side.

"I'm glad you made it in time, young one."

Too chocked up with emotion, Harry merely nodded and took her pale hand. "Remember all I have told you, alright?"

He just sequeezed her hand, knowing that he had already promised it long ago and that she knew he would keep that promise. The woman closed her eyes, and slowly, she whispered. "Sing for me, my little Dragon."

Harry immediately understood which song she wanted. One summer she had taught him several religious songs and one of them she had called the Chant of Death; the old Dragoons believed it helped the souls to reach the after life. Fighting back his tears and trying to regain his voice, Harry started to sing softly, pronouncing the strange words as she had taught him. He felt the grip of her hand getting weaker and her face relaxed as the pain that had been plaguing her for the last few days finally left her. Nevertheless, he continued with the chant, slowly forming the words and humming the sad melody. The song continued as Lady Rose took her last breath and lay still while he finished singing the song, praying that her soul had indeed found rest.

Harry closed his eyes tightly for a moment; he knew he still had something to do before he could break down. With tears falling down his cheeks, he left the room. The doctor looked at him sadly before entering the room with his aunt. Harry supposed that they knew that the old woman had died, but he didn't care. He headed to the basement and went to the book of comunication that had been left on the couch. With slightly trembling fingers, he took a pen and carefully wrote a message in the book:

'Lady Rose ax luijam, a ir jaku guv muidun yt xuqrujs.' (Lady Rose is dead; I am the new Keeper of Secrets)

Without waiting for reply, he closed the book and went to the crystal. As Lady Rose had once done, he whispered: _Maiolam_ and he watched as the library reverted to its crystal form. Without a glance back, he left the house, intent to never return to it.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Harry was roughly brought back from his memories when a gentle hand dried the tears he had not been aware were running down his cheecks. Looking up, he saw the concerned face of his father standing over him.

"Zach? What's wrong?"

The teen shook his head and quickly tried to dry the tears his father had missed. "Nothing, nothing's wrong."

Feeling that he wasn't going to get an answer out of him, the older man let the subject rest. Instead, he helped the teen up, knowing he was probably still feeling shaky due to the potion, and together they went to the table where dinner had already been served. Severus watched worriedly as Zach picked on his food, seemingly still lost in thought. He would have said something, if it hadn't been for the fact that his son was actually eating more now than he had seen him do in the last few days. Of course, that was probably because of the potion, but Severus wasn't about to complain.

Once Zach put his fork down, he looked up at the older man. He was glad that his father hadn't pressed him for answers, because he knew that he wouldn't be able to answer them. After Lady Rose had died, everyone seemed to forget about her. Harry suspected it had been because of the message he had sent that day, but he never bothered to find out. Sighing, he stood up, leaning heavily on the table. "I'm tired, can I go to bed?"

His father immediately jumped up and passed an arm around his waist. Without a word, Zach accepted the help, leaning heavily against the man. Severus felt his son snuggle against his side, and he couldn't help but feel even more worried. Until now, Zach hadn't looked for his affection, probably not knowing how to accept it, but now he clearly was. Willing to do what he could for his son, even if he didn't know what had upset him in such a way, Severus gently helped him into his pyjamas and to bed, tucking him in tightly and kissing his forehead as he had done a few nights before. Harry accepted it all with a small smile as he allowed his eyes to fall closed.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta reader, Vinnie.


	26. Papa

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

That night was a rough night for both men. Around two in the morning, Zach woke up screaming, his nightmares once again taking hold of him.

Severus, who had been reading in his room due to his inability to sleep, jumped up at the first sound and rushed to his son's room. Zach was already awake when he entered, his knees drawn against his chest, and his head buried in his arms.

"Zach!"

The man hurried to the teen's side and, without hesitation, took him into his arms. To his surprise, the teen latched on to him, burying his head in his shoulder, as if trying to disappear from the world that surrounded him. Gently rubbing the teen's back, Severus started to mutter soft words of reassurance. He could barely believe this was coming so natural to him. If someone a few weeks ago had told him he would be in this position, he would have said they had gone insane, but here he was, easily comforting the teen that was and always had been his only son. Finally, after a few minutes, Zach's breath evened out, and Severus leaned back enough to see the teen's face.

"Zach? Are you ok? Was it another vision?"

Harry shook his head. "No, just a nightmare; sorry for waking you up."

Frowning and drawing the teen back against his chest, the man wondered why on earth the boy was apologising; after all, it wasn't Zach's fault that he had nightmares. Guessing it had probably something to do with the Dursley, Severus quickly tried to reassure he son.

"It's alright; I wasn't sleeping, and even if I had been, I wouldn't mind you waking me up if you're distressed." When he was sure that the teen wasn't going to answer, he started to speak again. "Do you want to talk about the nightmare?"

Severus felt his son shake his head, so he was surprised when the teen talked anyway. "It was about something that happened long ago; I was remembering about it this evening. I hadn't thought about it in a long time."

Snape's gaze darkened. "Something to do with the Dursley?"

Zach stayed still for a second; it would be so easy to make his father think it was about his relatives, but the teen felt the strange need to talk about Lady Rose to his father, to reassure him that not everything in his childhood had been bad. Choosing his words carefully, he started to speak softly. "No, not about them. There was an old lady living near us when I was a child. When she moved in, Aunt Petunia offered her my services since she was really old, and it would also get me out of their house." Feeling his father's arms tense around him, he quickly spoke on. "She was very nice; she didn't really want or need my help with the house. She was just lonely and wanted some company. I used to stay every evening with her. She would give me tea and a snack, and then we would talk for hours after I had done my homework. She used to tell me all kind of tales; I had lots of fun with her."

Severus relaxed at hearing this; maybe his son's childhood hadn't been completely miserable after all. Yet, this didn't explain the nightmare. "I would like to meet her and thank her for helping you."

The man knew he had said something wrong when Zach started to shake again and tried to bury his head deeper in his shoulder. "You can't. She died when I was ten. I was there when it happened; she had asked for me, and they came to get me from school. She said she wanted someone at her side."

Harry closed his eyes tightly, trying to reign in his tears. Rose hadn't actually said it, but he knew that was what she had wanted when she called for him. Snape gently started to rock the teen in his arms; had his son actually grieved for the woman he had obviously loved?

"Zach?"

Hearing his father's soft voice, the teen moved his head a bit, enough to see the man's face. Seeing the soft, worried, black eyes brought more tears to his eyes. The man gently kissed his forehead and pulled him even closer. "Zach, it's ok to cry."

Finally letting go of his emotions, the teen started to cry as he never had before. After Lady Rose's death, he had been just too sad to properly cry, not to mention that there had no one there to comfort him. But his father was there now, and he seemed willing to let him cry until his grief had settled down again.

About and hour later, the tears had stopped, and he was limply lying in his father's arms, still too upset to sleep but yet too tired to try and move. The man didn't seem to mind, still rocking him slightly, trying to soothe him to sleep.

"Papa?"

Startled, the man looked down at the teen curled up in his arms. "Yes?"

Closing his red, puffy eyes, the teen relaxed even more. "Nothing, just wanted to hear how it sounded. Would you rather I called you Father? Or maybe Dad?"

Gently petting the teen's hair, Severus chuckled softly. "You can call me whatever you prefer, Child, I don't mind; to me, it's enough that you want to recognise me as your father even after everything I've done."

Frowning, Harry opened his eyes. "You hurt me, but I forgive you. Lady Rose said everyone deserved a second chance, and that some people would do bad things because of love. Do you think she was right, Papa?"

Sensing that his son was exhausted and was probably feeling very vulnerable right now, the man tightened his hold a bit. "I think that Lady Rose was a very smart woman; maybe in the morning you can tell me more about her if you're up to it."

"Maybe. Papa?"

Severus frowned; he would have thought the teen would have drifted off long ago. Even so, he kept speaking with him, sensing the need of reassurance. "Yes, Zach?"

"Do you love me?"

Severus couldn't help but smile down at the dark head nestled against him. "I love you very much, Zach, and I'm sorry I haven't been there for you."

Nodding, the teen finally fell silent, yet Severus could feel he wasn't sleeping yet. Sighing, he spoke softly. "Zach?"

"Yes, Papa?"

"Do you need something to help you sleep? It's quite late, and you need your rest."

Shaking his head, Harry started to draw back, making the man frown. "No, I don't want anything, I hate having sleeping potions; they always leave me feeling fuzzy in the morning. But you can go to sleep; I'm sorry for keeping you up."

Sighing, Severus tightened his hold and settled on the bed more comfortably. "Hush, don't worry about it, I don't mind. Now try to get some sleep, I'm staying right here."

000000000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning, Zach woke up late. His father had already left the room, and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed about everything that he had said, but he hadn't been able to help it. The man had been so kind and caring that the words had nearly flown out of his mouth. After a few minutes he decided to get up. He could see the weather had gotten worse which suited his mood just fine. Remembering about Rose had left him feeling very lonely, and he would have been even more upset had the sun been shinning. Not even his father had managed to help him. Careful not to make a sound that would alert the other man, he went to his trunk.

The first one that Hagrid had bought him had been replaced in his third year by this one. It wasn't much larger that the one the half-giant had gotten him, but it had an added feature. On the cover of the trunk, there was a drawing to two Gryffin. If you looked closely at their crossed pawns you could see a very small snake drawn between them. Harry gently pressed the snake, which silently disappeared inside the trunk. Once he had done that, and then he lifted the lid, and instead of the usual clothes he saw the stairs entering the hidden room in his trunk.

Zach hadn't wanted to carry the huge library on him all the time, not to mention that it wasn't useful if he needed to use the books in it, so once he had gotten this trunk, he had used it to hide the library in the secret compartment. Descending the stairs, Zach immediately headed towards the book of communication. He hadn't used it since he had sent that message about Lady Rose's death but now he considered this important enough to warn the wingueds. Sighing, he sat down on the leather couch that seemed to be part of the library and took out a quill. Opening the book to the right page, he wasn't very surprised to see there hadn't been an answer to his previous message. Hoping that his words now would get a response, he carefully started to write.

'I would like to speak with Lady Charle, there's something very important I need to tell her.'

Much to his disappointment, no answer came from the other side. Sighing, after ten minutes, he decided to take the book out with him. It was dangerous, as anyone would be able to see it, but it would be even worse if his father saw him inside his trunk with the whole library spread out like this. He was about to leave when he changed his mind. Walking over to the crystal that still shone on the side of the library, he muttered the word needed to close the library, and he put the small crystal behind the crest pendant he was wearing. He had discovered that the crystal would merge with anything so he used to carry it around on a wristband at first, and then after getting the pendant, he had worn it there. When he had gotten the trunk, he had changed it since he liked to read the different books in the huge library; he knew he needed to keep reading and speaking to keep up with the strange language and while he didn't have anyone to talk with, he liked to read as much as he could. Jumping out of his trunk, he dropped the lid and pushed the hidden button on the left Gryffin's wing. With barely a sound, the snake reappeared, and he was able to reopen the trunk to see his own clothes and books.

He quickly got dressed in some jeans and a black T-shirt and then headed out in search of his father. He didn't know how the man would react after last night, but he might as well find out. He found him sitting in the living room, books and notes spread out around the table.

Severus looked up the moment he heard Zach enter the living room. He was looking a bit pale, but otherwise, he seemed to be doing fine.

"Good morning, Zach."

The teen smiled hesitantly. "Morning...erm..."

The man raised an eyebrow. "I thought I had become Papa?"

The boy started to blush and bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Professor."

Frowning, the man stood up and went to his son; he hadn't meant to make his son feel insecure. Lifting his head with gentle fingers, Snape bent down slightly so he was able to look his son in the eyes. "Hey, I distinctly remember telling you that you could call me whatever it was you wanted. Already regretting choosing Papa?"

Zach looked up shyly. "No. I always wanted to call you that, but I didn't think you would ever agree to it."

Letting go of the child's chin, he returned to his seat shrugging lightly. "While I agree it's kind of mushy, I really don't mind; if it makes you feel better then you can call me that."

Smiling and relieved that the man was going to humour him on this matter, the teen joined the man at the table. As soon as he sat down, a plate with a light breakfast appeared in front of him. Zach couldn't help but look down at it in amusement; his father was really serious about getting him back to normal eating patters, although having breakfast at ten in the morning wasn't very normal.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Eat up."

Zach laughed softly and picked up his fork. "As you wish, Papa."

Both men shared an amused look before the teen started to eat.

To be continued...

A/N: Merry Christmas to you all.


	27. A chat with Albus

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.**

_The Keeper of Secrets._

Once breakfast was finished, Severus excused himself and headed to his lab while Harry settled back into his chair, thinking about what he should do. He was happy that his father hadn't pressed him more about his nightmares from the night before; Rose was not a subject he was comfortable with sharing with his father, mostly because he always had thought that was how a true father should have behaved.

Shaking his head, trying to dispel those bitter thoughts from his mind, he stood up and went to his room. He needed to check if there were an answer from Lady Charlie, after that he would be able to decide what to do next. To his disappointment, the book remained blank. For a moment he thought about sending another message, but that would be a bit insistent and it wasn't like he could force them to talk to him if they didn't want to.

Sighing, he moved to his trunk and opened the normal compartment. Under all those new clothes Chiara had helped him buy were his books. Most of them were his schoolbooks, but the last time he had gone to Diagon Alley he had bought a few extra books. Sadly he had read them all and he hadn't had the chance to get new ones in a while. Deciding there wasn't anything interesting to read in his trunk, he closed it and returned to the living room.

Once there he stood in the middle of the room, considering what he should do. For a moment he considered going outside but he immediately dismissed that thought; he was still feeling a bit shaky and truthfully, he didn't feel like seeing anyone right now. On the other hand, the book he had gotten from the library a few days ago didn't seem appealing anymore. Finally coming to a decision, he moved to his father's library, as he could have expected, there were mostly books on potions, not that that bothered him. While he didn't like potions lessons, for obvious reasons, as it was a time in which his father used every opportunity to insult him, he had never really minded the making of potions.

Chiara, who had discovered it not long after they found out the truth, thought he had taken a liking to potions to try and please his father. At first he had thought that notion was stupid, but now he knew she had been right. Not that the man had ever noticed; he had always been too busy reminding him how incompetent he was to really pay attention to him. After about a year, Harry had given up trying to do well in class, guessing that if he was going to be called stupid, the man might as well have a reason to do so. Yet that hadn't stopped his fascination about brewing potions.

Trying to dismiss those depressing thoughts from his mind, he picked up the first book he found and settled down in a chair to read it. It turned out it was a book about polyjuice potion and all the modifications that had been found so far. With a small smile due to the memories the book brought, Harry settled more comfortably in his chair and started to read intently.

He was so engrossed in his book that he didn't hear someone knock on the door. He nearly jumped out of his skin when an old hand settled on his shoulder. Sharply turning around, he was faced with the twinkling eyes of the headmaster.

"Professor! I didn't hear you come in."

The old man chuckled lightly and went to sit in the other chair. "I noticed, my boy. How are you feeling? Your father said you were doing much better."

The boy nodded, closing the book after marking the page he was in. "I'm fine, still feeling a bit shaky, but Papa said that was to be expected since it will take the potion about two days to leave my body."

If the old man was surprised to hear his student address the Head of Slytherin in such a way, he didn't show it, instead the wizard nodded in understanding. "I'm glad to hear that, Zach."

Getting his bearings back and realising he had been a bit rude so far, Zach jumped out of his chair. "I'm sorry, Professor, can I get you something to drink?"

Laughing softly, the headmaster shook his head. "That's not necessary, my child, I just need to speak with your father for a moment, and I came to deliver a message to you."

Raising an eyebrow, Harry settled back into his chair. "A message, sir?"

"Yes, Charlie told me to warn you that Ron is going to come this evening to see how you're doing. It seems that young Chiara told him what was going on, and he wants to make sure you are ok with everything."

A small smile covered the youths face and nodded. "I look forward to see him; I should have owled him before now but with everything that has been going on I forgot about it."

Dumbledore gave a small laugh. "That's completely understandable, my child. Ron will arrive at Hogsmeade. I need to speak with your father, but if he hasn't plans for this evening, he might be able to take you to the town and you can spent the evening there with Ron. Else Hagrid will go pick him up and bring him here."

Harry's face brightened at once, but then clouded over a bit. "I would love to go to Hogsmeade, but I don't want to bother Papa."

An old hand gently patted his knee. "Now, now, let him decide for himself what he wants to do. Now, where might I find him?"

Blinking, Harry nodded towards the closed door. "Papa's been in there the whole morning, but I don't know if it's a good idea to bother him while he is making a potion."

The headmaster shrugged and stood up. Harry watched anxiously as Dumbledore silently opened the door and peered inside. It must have been safe to enter, because the old man disappeared through the door, closing it behind him. Shrugging a bit and figuring both men would tell him what their decision was later, Zach returned his attention to the book, it was much more interesting than he had expected.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Severus looked up when the door to his lab opened. He had been expecting Zach to enter so he was a bit surprised when he saw the tall form of the headmaster standing there. With a small movement of his wand, he doused the fire under the potion, it wasn't like he had been going anywhere with this new version of the wolfsbane. He heard Albus close the door after him while he finishing writing some of the reactions in his notebook. Once he was done, he finally settled back and looked up at his guest.

"Good morning, Albus."

The old wizard sat down in one of the chairs placed in front of the desk Severus had been using. "Hello, Severus, still no luck?"

The younger man grimaced and scowled down at his notes. "Nothing, Albus, if I change anything in the original recipe, I end up either blowing up the cauldron or making it poisonous."

The headmaster shook his head lightly. "You're thinking too hard on this problem, Severus, you should let it rest for a few days and it will come to you. Either that or ask for a second opinion. Another potions master might give you new ideas."

The Slytherin snorted lightly. "You're talking as if there were Potions Masters all around the country; there are barely three or four of us in Europe, Albus."

The older man's eyes twinkled brightly, but he let the matter go. "Then you should take my first advice."

Sighing, Severus looked at his boss. "Why do I have the feeling you have already planned a way for me to take some time away from the blasted potion."

Albus laughed lightly, but didn't bother denying it; after all it was true. "Young Mister Weasley is coming this evening, and I thought you might want to take Zach to Hogsmeade and meet him there. I'm sure your son could use a few hours outside this castle, and you could also use the break."

Raising an eyebrow, the younger man shook his head. "And I guess you've already told Zach this so there is no way for me to say no without disappointing him, am I right?"

The old man chuckled softly. "Well, he was in the living room; I had to tell him why I wanted to speak to you, didn't I?"

Sighing, Snape closed his notebook. "I'm sure you did. Ok, I'll take him to Hogsmeade; I needed to buy a few things either way. I hope you don't expect me to stay with the two of them the whole time, I doubt they would like it much."

Standing up, the Headmaster shook his head. "Of course not, Severus, I just feel better knowing you're there if something happens, and especially on the way there and back."

Without another word, the man left his younger colleague behind, and after bidding goodbye to Zach, he left the room, softly whistling a tune.

When Severus finally left his lab after cleaning up everything he had used, he was met with a pair of inquisitive eyes. Raising an eyebrow with a small smile on his lips, the man crossed his arms.

"Well? What are you waiting for? We might as well have lunch a bit early if we are to be in Hogsmeade in time to meet Mr. Weasley."

Severus moved to the fireplace after seeing a happy smile blossom on his son's face; that was more than enough of a reward for him.

He was about to summon a house elf when the teen's voice called him. "Papa?"

"Mmh?"

"Do you mind if I borrow one of your books?"

Figuring it was one of his defence books he nodded distractedly, while finally summoning a house elf and asking for their lunch.

_To be continued..._

_A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for her wonderful work as beta._


	28. An afternoon in Hogsmeade

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Once they finished their lunch, Zach went to his room, and after checking the book and taking some money from his trunk, he went back to the living room, where his father was waiting for him.

"Ready to go?"

The teen nodded and followed his father outside. They quickly made their way to the town in silence. Once there, Snape placed a gentle hand on his son's back, trying to ignore the curious looks the people were sending them. For a moment, Severus hesitated, but finally he decided to go with his son to the Three Broomsticks, where Ron was supposed to meet them, just to make sure the other teen was there. Zach didn't seem to mind as he led the way to the building, leaning a bit against the hand gently guiding him inside.

Once his eyes had gotten used to the dimness, Severus immediately located the redhead sitting in a corner facing the door. He was smiling at them, only reaffirming what his son had told him about the other Gryffindor's reaction. Zach finally parted from his hand and went to hug his friend, who had stood up to greet them. Severus watched in amusement as the two young men parted and started to speak excitedly about how much they had changed, especially Zach of course. Before they had the chance to get carried away, he spoke.

"Zach."

The teen turned to him, a smile on his lips. The other teen also turned to watch him curiously, no trace of the disgust he had seen the year before in his eyes. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to pick up some things, will that be ok?"

The boy nodded. "Of course, Papa, that will be fine. When should we meet you?"

If Severus noticed the shocked look Ron threw him at being called Papa, he didn't mention it. "How about we meet here at six to have some dinner? Will that be ok with you, Mr. Weasley?"

The redhead nodded slightly, still in shock at the changes his professor seemed to be going through. "That will be fine, Professor, but I will need to get back home after that."

The Potions Master nodded, and after squeezing Zach's shoulder once, he left the crowded establishment. Ron turned to watch his friend in shock. "He allows you to call him "Papa"?"

Zach laughed and sat down at the table his friend had been sitting before. "Surprising, isn't it? I thought he would bite my head of the first time I called him that, but he has been really nice about it."

Ron shook his head, still amazed at what he was hearing. "The Potions Master, nice? There's many things I would call him, but that wasn't one of them."

His friend threw him an annoyed glance. "Ron, don't start. I know he has not been easy to get along with, but he has changed since I came to live with him. He really seems to care."

The redhead shrugged slightly, but a smile danced on his lips. "As long as you're fine with him, I don't care. So, what should we do? Are you up to go shop for a bit? I need to buy a few things Mum asked me to."

The shorter boy nodded in acceptance and waited till Ron had drained his glass before standing up. Both teenagers left the Three Broomsticks and headed to Honeydukes, Harry relishing in the feeling of not being stared at. They didn't spend much time in the shop since Ron didn't have much money with him, and Zach didn't really want many sweets.

Ron teased him about that, stating that he was getting more like his father everyday, but Zach didn't take offence, just letting the words pass over him. Once they had finished buying things in Zonko, where Ron had spent most of his money, while the other teen just looked around a bit, Zach dragged the protesting teen to a new bookshop. The red-haired Gryffindor protested that he didn't need anything from that place, but Zach paid him no heed, saying that he wanted a few books.

Neither noticed the tall man standing near them looking through a potions magazine. The man looked up when he heard them, raising an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected to see his son and his friend there. He watched curiously as they separated and Zach approached the defence section and picked up one of the books. Seeing the boy hadn't noticed him, he returned his attention to the magazine.

Nearly ten minutes had gone by before Ron approached Zach again.

"Are you done? I need to buy those things for Mum."

The black haired teen looked up and smiled slightly. He put the book he had been looking at back in his place. "Just a minute, Ron, I want to see if they have that book on healing potions I was telling you about last year; I haven't had the chance to buy it yet, and I've been dying to read it."

While those words shocked the Potions Master, Ron didn't seem surprised at all. "Honestly, will you ever get over your obsession with Potions? I really don't see why you find them so fascinating. Besides, your father probably has it already."

Zach rolled his eyes. "He doesn't, I already checked. And I don't think I'll ever get over my obsession in potions, as you call it; I just like it, it's relaxing."

Ron snorted as he followed the other teen towards another side of the bookstore. "Oh, sure it is. Especially when you blow up your cauldron."

The Potions Master's son whacked his friend around the head. "I haven't blown up a cauldron since that time Malfoy dropped salamander scales in my cauldron last year."

Ron raised his hand in mock surrender. "I know, I know, you are a genius in Potions, your father just refuses to see it." When he saw the light hurt pass through his friend's eyes, Ron put an arm around his shoulders. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Let's go get your book, ok?"

Zach nodded and silently started to look for the book. Unluckily, they didn't find the book in the shelves and after asking the man seated behind the counter, he told them the new edition wouldn't be there until next week. Sighing sadly, Zach followed his friend outside.

Ron, seeing the mood the other teen was in, tried to cheer him up. "Come on, buck up, mate, you can just ask your father to take you again next week and get the book."

Zach snorted. "Yeah, sure, I can hear the conversation already. 'Hey, Papa, can you stop brewing potions for a few hours to take me to Hogsmeade to buy a book? A potions book no less.' That would go over well."

The answer was lost to the Potions Master as the two young men left the shop. If everything he had heard was true, he might have misjudged his son on this matter. He had never considered that Zach might be good at potions. Frowning, he headed to the back of the shop, were an old man was looking through a box.

"Hello, Nathan."

The old man looked up sharply and then a small smile graced his old face. "Why, if it isn't young Severus. How are you doing, my boy? I haven't seen you in a long time."

The younger man smiled gently down at the man. He had known him since the first time he had gone to Hogsmeade as a student; he had always been fascinated with all the books the man sold, and Nathan had always made time to talk to him. When he heard that the man wanted to sell his shop due to money problems, he had decided to help him, offering him this place to set the shop up. "I'm doing fine, Nathan. Still teaching at the school. I see you've settled in alright."

The old man looked at him intently. "I can't tell you how grateful I am about this place, Severus, it's much better placed than before; it's much brighter and people love to come in here now."

Snape waved his thanks away. "There's no need to thank me. I had no use for this old place, and you helped me more than enough when I was a child."

For an instant, it seemed like Nathan was going to dispute his words but then he merely shook his head. "If you say so. But I'm guessing you didn't only come here to chat, what is it you need?"

Severus looked at him seriously. "Can you tell me what book those two teenagers wanted?"

Nathan frowned. "It wasn't anything dangerous, Severus, I don't see why you would be interested in them."

Seeing that he would need to explain if he wanted an answer, the younger man sighed and leaned against the counter. "One of those two was my son, and I want to know which book he wanted so I might give it to him. I owe him several birthday presents."

Nathan was looking up at him with a slight surprise in his eyes. "Well, that was certainly unexpected. I guess you mean the dark haired young man?" When Severus nodded he continued. "Now that you mention it, he kind of looked like you. He wanted the new book from Mariele Dantiane, The Finer Points of Healing Potions. I was a bit surprised that such a young boy wanted it, but if he's your son then it's not so surprising."

Snape merely nodded, his mind working furiously to try and process the fact that his son might be much better at potions than he ever had suspected. That knowledge saddened him greatly. Had he really tried so hard to ignore the boy that he had missed his talent? The Weasley boy hadn't been surprised, meaning that Zach hadn't made it a secret, at least from his friends, but try as he might, he didn't remember him being good in class. Sure, he knew the boy was not as bad as he made him out to be, but he would have defined him as a normal student, competent enough to make the potions without blowing anything up. As long as there were no Slytherins around, of course.

"Severus?"

The younger man blinked and looked down at Nathan. "Sorry, I was lost in thought, what did you say?"

The old book seller chuckled. "You're getting old, Severus. I was merely asking if you wanted me to send you that book when it arrives."

Severus nodded absentmindedly. "I would be grateful if you could. I believe I owe Zach several apologies."

Nodding goodbye to the old man, who was looking at him puzzled, Severus left the store, heading to the Three Broomsticks where Ron and Zach should be waiting for him.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta, Vinnie.


	29. A chat with Ron

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

The two teens were indeed waiting for him there, quietly talking while drinking a butter beer. Zach looked up when he approached them.

"Did you find everything you needed, Papa?"

The man sat at his son's side while nodding. "Indeed, I did. I trust you had a good time?"

Ron smiled while Zach nodded eagerly, seemingly over his glum mood. "It was great, Papa, thanks for allowing me to come and coming with me."

Severus couldn't help but smile back at the young man and gently squeeze his shoulder. "I didn't mind, Zach. I needed to get out anyway, and if it hadn't been this, Albus would have thought of something else."

Both teens laughed in agreement, knowing how their headmaster always got what he wanted. Before they could answer him, the man nodded towards the counter, where Madam Rosmerta was talking to a few customers. "What do you want to eat?"

Ron looked pensively but quickly asked for a tuna sandwich and some chips. Looking towards his son and seeing his pensive gaze, he quickly spoke. "I want a salad and some chicken, why don't you go order it while you think about what you want?"

Without giving him a chance to answer he shoved a few coins into his hands and waved him towards the counter. Shrugging lightly, the boy obeyed the hidden command and left his friend with his father. As soon as Zach was out of earshot, Severus turned to Ron and regarded him seriously. The teen seemed to sense that his Professor wanted to talk to him, because he was watching him curiously.

"That wasn't very subtle, Professor."

Severus just shrugged, it would have been worse to ask his son to go because he wanted to speak with his friend. Not bothering to answer, Severus immediately addressed the matter that had been bothering for the last half hour. "I heard the two of you speaking in the book store."

Ron frowned lightly. "About the book?"

Severus nodded. "I didn't know Zach was interested in Potions."

The teen shrugged and looked towards his friend, who was now chatting with Madam Rosmerta. "At first I don't think he did like them, especially because of the way you treated us in class. It changed during the summer before our second year. When he returned, he seemed to only want to read potion books. I remember him working for hours to get his potions homework done well and he always looked so sad when you returned it marked so badly. I didn't understand why he did it, even Hermione was puzzled. By the end of second year he had given up on his homework so we thought it had been only some passing obsession but we were wrong. By third year he wouldn't bother making his homework well, but any question on potions you wanted answered, you just needed to ask Harry." He paused for a moment, watching the stoic face of the man sitting in front of him. "That was when we found out about you. Chiara thinks, and I agree with her, that at first he just wanted to attract you attention, but by the time he had given up on it, he had come to rely on potions to relieve stress so he kept up with it. While Chiara may have better marks in class, if Zach wanted, he would surpass her any day but he just refuses to work for your class anymore, saying it won't make a difference."

Severus nodded in understanding and looked sadly towards his son. If the young man had felt this way and Ron was right about him being good at potions, Severus couldn't help but wonder how many potential good students had given up just because of him. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the boy returning and placing his salad in front of him.

"Papa?"

Severus looked up when he felt Zach hand gently shake his shoulder. "Sorry, Kid, I was lost in thought."

Picking up his fork, he started to eat while Zach looked worriedly at his friend who shook his head reassuringly. Dinner passed quickly, with Ron and Zach speaking softly while the Potions Master remained lost in thoughts. After they were done, Ron bid them goodbye and left through the fireplace while Zach and his father made his way towards the castle.

Unsettled by the silence his father had kept during dinner, Zach tried to find out what was bothering the older man.

"Papa, did something happen?"

Blinking, Severus looked down at his son's smaller form and shook his head. "No, of course not, why do you ask?"

Zach frowned. "You're acting strange. Did Ron say something that bothered you?"

Severus stared pensively ahead. "He said a few things, but nothing he shouldn't have. He just gave me a few things to think about." Returning his attention to the teen, he passed an arm around his shoulders, happy when the teen stepped a bit closer to him. "Don't worry about it, Zach. Did you really have a good time?"

The teen smiled up at him. "Yes, I did, it was great."

Severus continued to walk with his son, listening how the boy told him about what they had done. The older man noticed the omission of the book incident, and felt slightly saddened by it. But he could understand the teen's reluctance at mentioning it. If someone had told him a few months ago that Harry Potter was good at potions he would have deemed them insane and told them so without a second thought.

Once they reached the castle, they made their way back to the dungeons. There, Severus went back to his lab to put the things he had bought away while Zach went to his room. The first thing that attracted his attention was the glowing book placed on his nightstand. A bit excited about finally getting an answer, he quickly moved to it after closing the door. Sitting on his bed, he carefully opened the book and looked intently at the short message.

"I am here, Keeper of Secrets, what is it you need?"

Smiling, Zach picked up a quill and in the ancient language of the dragoons he set up to answer, hoping the woman was still in reach of the other book.

"I have received notice of someone looking for the Book of Zoa; I'm nearly sure they were not speaking about my own copy, and I would like to know if there are other books spread around here."

For a long time the page remained blank, and then, when he was about to close the book, silver letters started to appear in front of him.

"There may be a few books close to your location, Keeper, we have never kept track of them very closely. What worries me more is the fact that a human knows about the book. Tell me a bit about the one who wishes to find it."

Instead of starting to pour out every evil thing Voldemort had done during his rein of terror, Zach tried to remain as objective as he could, knowing that the Wingueds had no political interests in them and that a death meant nothing to them.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, or rather Lord Voldemort as he calls himself now, is a wizard... a half breed; his father was a human and his mother a witch. The father abandoned his mother when he found out she was a witch and she died when he was born. He was placed at a human orphanage and abused for many years. At eleven, he started at Hogwarts, a school for wizards, and while he was there, he started to grow dark, his powers growing as his resentment with the human world grew. Once he finished Hogwarts he continued in his quest for power until a few years later, when he proclaimed himself the new Dark Lord and gained support of many wizards that held the believe that they were better than humans."

Before he could explain more, the letters appearing in front of him interrupted him. "You don't need to explain more, Keeper, we have had enough people like him. Tell me, are you with him or against him?"

Zach frowned. "I'm against him, firstly because I know that what he says is untrue, secondly because I can't abide to killing people for the reasons the Dark Lord proclaims, and thirdly because I have lost loved ones at his hands."

"Good, I apologise for asking but I needed to be sure. Do you have any idea why he wishes to have the Book of Zoa?"

The teen sighed. "I wish I knew, but I can't figure it out. Maybe he thinks it will give him power or tell him some earth-shattering secret. But I've read the book myself, there's nothing he could use there."

This time the answer was long coming but after a minute, the letters appeared again. "Maybe you don't see it because you've grown up with the knowledge that Lady Rose gave you, but the truth about how wizards, as you call them, came to be may be very important to one who only seeks power. He may want to look for the Wingueds and there would be more than one Wingued that would use him to rule over humans again."

Zach groaned. "Wonderful, what do we do?"

"Don't worry, Keeper, I'll take care of it, you just keep the books you own under tight vigilance, and I will deal with the other ones."

The teen nodded and quickly wrote a bit more before closing the book. "I will do as you wish, Lady Charle, warn me if you need my help."

Before he could read the answer, he heard a door close, and he quickly slammed the book shut and put it under his pillow, in a secret compartment he had created there, and covered it up again. Putting his quill away, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. He was aware that he hadn't even put on his pyjamas but he didn't care. He didn't want his father to suspect anything. Evening his breath out, he unconsciously relaxed against the soft pillow, letting sleep overcome him.

By the time Severus entered to check on his son, the teen was already half asleep on the bed.

Harry heard a soft laugh and sleepily opened his eyes to see the tall form of his father sitting down next to him. A gentle hand brushed his hair away. "Tired, aren't we?"

Zach yawned and nodded, closing his eyes again. He heard the swish of robes and then a few spoken words. An instant later he realised he was dressed in his pyjamas and the covers were covering him. His father tucked him in and kissed his forehead, bidding him goodnight, but Zach was already too far away to answer and simply let himself fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my betareader, Vinnie.


	30. Charlie

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Severus watched as his son slept peacefully on his bed, the day had been full of surprises, and he would need a few days to try to deal with them before speaking to Harry. Sighing, the man stood up intent to go to his own room when his eyes fell on a book lying on the bedside table. He immediately recognised it as one of his own books; it probably was the one Zach had asked to borrow and contrary to what he had thought a few hours before, it was not a defence book, but a potions book. Sighing, the man took the book and opened it on the place that was marked, and a small paper fell out of the book. Bending over, Severus picked it up and immediately saw it was a sheet with a few questions about the book. Reading through them, the man couldn't help but feel a bit impressed. If this was all Zach didn't understand about the book, then the boy knew much more about the subject than he had thought even after the revelations of this evening.

Finally deciding that he couldn't do anything about this right now, Snape closed the book, carefully tucking the paper between the worn pages, and finally left his son's room intending to get a few hours of sleep.

He had barely been sleeping for an hour when the screams started. Wondering if this was going to become a nightly ritual, Severus rushed towards his son's room. The boy was still asleep this time, and he couldn't do anything but sit on the edge of the bed and rub his son's back gently, muttering soft, comforting words. Finally, without waking, Zach settled back to sleep and his father went back to his own bed.

Harry woke up early the next morning. He remembered falling asleep in an attempt to prevent his father from finding out about his book, and he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed about it. Not that he minded the man tucking him in bed and taking care of him, after so long with the Dursleys it made him feel safe and cared for, but anyway, he couldn't help but feel that his father would soon get tired of such behaviour. Then the thought of the first night here returned, the man had been awfully commanding and ever since he had made sure that Harry would eat and sleep properly. Just like a parent would do for a young child. Sighing, Zach just shook his head; he suspected they both would need to adjust to the new situation.

Sitting up, he rubbed his neck sleepily and slid his hand under the pillow to retrieve the Communication Book. Opening it to the page he had been writing on the night before, he read the answer that had come from the Wingly woman. 'Just try and keep an eye on things, warn me as soon as anything happens.'

Standing up, Zach stretched and went to his desk. There he took out a quill and quickly wrote a short reply: 'I will.'

For a moment he wondered if he should add anything else, but there really wasn't much more he could say. Now they could only wait for Voldemort to make the next move. Closing the book, he returned it to its hiding place before going to take a shower. To his surprise, the rooms were very quiet, showing that his father had either already left or was still sleeping.

After taking a quick shower, Harry got dressed and went to the living room. The Daily Prophet was still lying on the table meaning his father was still sleeping. Sighing, he wondered if he should go to the Great Hall for breakfast, but not feeling particularly hungry, he went back to his room and retrieved his book before settling down in the living room to wait for his father.

An hour later, he finally heard movement coming from the other rooms. It took his father twenty minutes to get ready for the day, and when he finally appeared in the living room, he was still rubbing his eyes a bit tiredly.

Zach, who had been waiting for him, frowned a bit at the tired look. "Papa?"

The man looked up sharply, he obviously hadn't seen him sitting there. "Zach! I thought you were still sleeping."

Looking towards the clock standing on one side of the room, he quietly approached his son. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

While he wasn't really hungry, lying to his father wasn't really a good idea, so he silently shook his head. With a snap of his fingers, a house elf appeared in front of them.

"Could you bring us some breakfast?"

The elf bowed lowly. "Troty was asked to tell you that the headmaster wants you to eat in the Great Hall, Master."

The Potions Master frowned lightly at those words; while during the school year Dumbledore insisted that they eat with the students, he usually allowed them to do as they pleased during the holiday. Nodding to the house elf, the older man turned towards his son.

"Come on, let's see what's going on with Albus."

Severus watched as Harry put his book down, clearly seeing it was the potions book he had been reading the day before. The young man seemed to tense when he saw what his father was staring at so intently, but Severus decided not to comment. There would be time later on to talk about it. Silently, they made their way to the Great Hall. Everyone was there already, and Severus was surprised to see a redheaded young man sitting between Dumbledore and Minerva.

Everyone looked up when they stepped into the room. Severus nodded in greeting as Zach said a quiet good morning, and they settled next to each other at the table. Albus beamed at them both.

"Ah, good morning, my boys, we were starting to wonder if you would join us."

Severus raised an eyebrow while serving himself a cup of tea and looking intently at what his son was putting on his plate. Even if they were going to eat up here, he was going to make sure the boy ate.

"What was so important that we had to come up here, Albus?"

The old man smiled down to Charlie, who had, until now, been eating his breakfast peacefully. "Arthur asked Charlie about the Book of Zoa, and he was so kind to come here and tell us what he found out. I assumed you would want to know."

Severus nodded lightly and Harry looked intently towards his friend's brother. He didn't really know if he wanted to know everything they knew about the book. Taking a deep breath, he quickly cleared his mind and assumed a polite interested expression; he would have to keep in mind that he couldn't say anything.

His father, who had been watching him closely, immediately noticed the change, and he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with the boy. Harry had always been a very curious boy, and he couldn't imagine him stopping so abruptly. There was something wrong, and he would have to try and find out what it was.

His attention was drawn back to Charlie when the redhead started to speak. "There's not much I can tell you. When Dad told me about what you knew so far, I tried to look into the records. While the Dragon Riders have quite a large library, there are things that are restricted. I had to call in a few favours to even find out the little I did." Taking a small piece of parchment out of one of his pockets, he gave it to Dumbledore. "These records are from about 500 years ago; they are the last known locations of the five Books of Zoa that existed in our world."

Severus spoke up. "So the book is real? Does it really contain the secret of those Wingly or whatever they were called?"

Charlie raised his hands lightly. "Your guess is as good as mine, Professor. I tried to find out more but none of the records say for sure what the book contains. Some theorise it's just a history book, while others say it contains the secret about how wizards came to exist."

Albus rubbed his eyes while looking at the short list. "500 years is very long, but we'll try to see if we can find at least one of the copies of the book."

Charlie shook his head lightly. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy, Headmaster. Even if you find the book, it's unlikely you will understand it. It's written in Draconian and finding someone who still knows how to decipher it might be even more difficult than finding the book."

Professor Vector looked up with a frown. "I've heard about that language, they say it was the language of the ancient. The last records on it were destroyed about 150 years ago."

Charlie nodded. "Yes, officially yes, but there have been rumours of some books that still hold the key to translate that language, after all, no one knows how many books a library of an old family may contain."

Everyone nodded in agreement; Severus made a quick note to check his own library for clues about the blasted book. While he was still sceptical about the whole thing, he would have to make sure there wasn't anything that could help them.

Albus sighed lightly; his only comfort was that Voldemort probably would have as much trouble as them in finding the book. "Thank you for the information, Charlie; we'll see what we can do about it."

The young man nodded but then looked at him hesitantly. When the headmaster looked at him quizzically, he sighed deeply. "I'm not sure if it's true or not, but several times during my research I have come across the term of 'The Keeper of Secrets.' In the records, they describe him as someone who not only knows everything about the ancient world, but that also owns a large collection of the oldest book in existence. If such a person exists, we might need to look for him before Voldemort finds him."

Dumbledore frowned at him. "Do you know more about him?"

Charlie shook his head lightly. "No, I don't even know if it's a man; some records talk about a woman, some about a man."

Everyone went silent, trying to process the man's last words. Zach was glaring at his plate lightly, cursing in his head while toying with his food. He had hoped that there would be no mention of him, but he should have known better. Lady Rose had already warned him that the Dragon Riders possessed some of the oldest knowledge, and the Keepers of Secret hadn't always been as reclusive as he was or as his old mentor had been. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw people getting up; he put his fork down and went to do the same when a strong hand closed around his upper arm and yanked him back into his chair.

Looking up surprised, he turned to face his father, who was scowling lightly at him. "We're not going anywhere until you finish your breakfast; don't think that I haven't noticed that you've only had half a piece of toast while everyone was talking."

Groaning, the boy sagged against his seat and picked up some more toast since the one he had been eating was now a mass of brown crumbles that covered his plate. "I'm really not hungry."

The man served himself a fresh cup of tea. "I don't really care, you need to eat, and I'll make sure you do even if I have to force feed you."

Zach wisely chose not to reply to that remark and bit into his toast. He was chewing slowly when his father spoke again.

"Are you going to tell me what you know about the Book of Zoa?"

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader, Vinnie.


	31. The Potions Accident

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Zach choked on his bread after being asked such a question. He felt his father pat him rather forcefully on the back but it still took him about a minute to get his breath back. "What do you mean, Papa?"

The man's concerned look disappeared, and he looked seriously towards his son. "Don't think I didn't notice how you acted when Charlie started talking, you tensed up and looked as if you would prefer to be anywhere but here."

Harry's mind was quickly trying to find an excuse that would please his father, but he wasn't really coming up with anything. "I didn't really want to know anything more about it, I get enough information as it is from Voldemort."

Severus frowned. "Zach, you're one of the most curious boys that I know, don't try to make me believe you don't want to know what's going on."

What on earth was he supposed to say to that? His father was right of course, he hated when adults kept things from him, probably because he owned such a great well of knowledge, and he was used to being able to find answers to his questions. But right now, he was at a loss; the thought of confiding in the older man briefly crossed his mind but he discarded it immediately. It wasn't necessary, and it would only put his father in more danger.

He was still deep in thought when a hand pushed his head up, and he was forced to lock eyes with his father.

"Zach?"

The teen refused to answer to the implied question, his mind working quickly to try and come up with an acceptable question. Before he had the chance to work it out, he felt a gentle nudge in his head. It had been years since he had last felt such a thing, but his mind recognised it in an instant. The wall of fire that had always helped defend his mind slammed up, forcing the invading awareness out of his mind.

Severus, who hadn't expected such a fierce defence, stumbled back, letting go of the boy's chin. When he regained his breath and looked up to the boy, he was met with ice-cold green eyes. The boy had clearly inherited his intimidating glare.

"Never try to get into my mind again. My secrets are mine to keep, and I will tell you only if I feel the need to do so."

Before the older man could react, the teen rushed out of the Great Hall, obviously angry. Sighing, Severus fell back into his chair. He had messed up, and he knew it; he just hadn't expected Harry to know how to block him out, not to mention to even be able to sense him. It was so strange to find someone able to occlude his mind as completely as Zach had just done.

Shaking his head, he berated himself for allowing something like that to happen. He shouldn't use his abilities like this, especially not against his son.

Still berating himself, the Potions Master stood up and went back to his rooms. While he really wanted to go after his son and apologise, he knew it would be better to wait for a bit until the boy calmed down. When he reached his rooms, the portrait informed him that Zach had just come back himself, which relieved him quite a bit since he wouldn't have to worry about where the teen was.

Once inside, he didn't see Zach around so he assumed he had gone straight to his own room. After charming the door so it would warn him if someone left, Severus went to his lab. He knew that working on his experimental potion would be useless right now, not because he was still frustrated with it but also because his mind was on Zach. So, deciding to leave that alone, he started to gather the things he needed to brew some of the hospital wing's potions.

It had been hours since he started, and he was just finishing a healing salve when the sound of an explosion reached his ears. Almost without thinking, he doused the fire under his boiling cauldron and stormed out of his lab towards Zach's room. He briefly wondered when checking on his son at the slightest sign of danger had become second nature, but the wizard dismissed those thoughts when he reached the boy's door. Wrenching it open, he was immediately surrounded by a thick, green smoke that made him cough a few times.

"Zach!"

Trying to see through the smoke, he couldn't help but start to blink, his eyes were aching, and he had to fight the urge to close them. His need to find his son was numbing his thoughts. With a jerk of his head, he realised that it wasn't worry what was affecting him, instead the dense smoke made him sleepy. Cursing under his breath, he muttered a charm that would gather the smoke at one side of the room so he would be able to deal with it later, he might need to know how it had affected the boy. As the dense fog started to clear aside, Severus quickly stepped inside the room, desperately trying to locate Zach.

"Zach, are you alright?"

When he once again didn't get an answer, he became even more worried. Most of the fog had been pushed aside by his charm, and he was finally able to locate his son's prone form lying on the floor next to the table. Severus glanced briefly towards the cauldron floating over a magical fire on the table, but he just dismissed the fire and turned to the boy. Kneeling at his side, he checked for a pulse and was relieved to find it strong and steady; after assessing that the boy wasn't in any immediate danger, Severus ran his hands over the teen's prone form checking if he had been hurt. Luckily, there were just a few scratches and there would later be bruises but other than that, Zach seemed to be fine. The Potions Master guessed that he was just sleeping due to the effects of the potion so he gathered the youth in his arms and made his way to the living room.

After setting his son on the couch and covering him in a thick blanket, Severus fire-called Madam Pomfrey and asked her to come down to his rooms. While he was fairly sure that his son would be fine, he just thought he better make sure.

Once the nurse had promised to come down in a few minutes, Severus went to the boy's room. He needed to find out exactly what he had been doing and if there might be any secondary effects. Luckily he had drilled in his students the need to keep a potion's journal, and Zach had been following faithfully his instructions, which filled him with pride before dismissing the thought. He was forced to go back quite a few pages since it seemed that the boy had been working on this particular potion for some time now.

Severus was very surprised when he saw that his son hadn't only been working on said potion, he had been creating it. As he had suspected, it was supposed to be a sleeping potion from some kind, and by the remarks Zach had put on the sides, he seemed to be trying to make it non-addictive. He himself had tried to do that many years ago, just after the Dark Lord's first fall, when the nightmares had plagued his sleep daily. It had become one of his many unfinished projects.

Reading through the journal, he was pleased to see that Zach had had many of the same ideas he had had when he was working on this, and yet, there were a few he hadn't considered. Frowning and trying to remember the details of his own work, Severus started to put a potion together in his mind; maybe if he combined pixie powder with salamander tails, he would have to try it later. But returning his attention to the journal, he shook his head. No, he would give Zach his journal and let the boy figure it out, he was nearly sure that he would succeed which filled him with joy and pride.

Hearing sounds coming from the other room, he quickly closed the journal and went to the living room. Madam Pomfrey was standing over the sleeping boy waving her wand and muttering some words. Severus sat down on a chair so he could see them and put the journal on the table. While he itched to read more of his son's work, he wouldn't do it. Not without the boy's permission. After all, he himself would be livid if someone read his potions research.

When Madam Pomfrey looked up, he went to join her at his son's side.

"Ah, Severus, what happened to him?"

The wizards smiled a bit at her. "He was brewing a potion and it exploded. Will he be alright?"

The nurse nodded lightly. "He should be fine, he seems to be sleeping rather deeply." Looking towards the book the man had left on the table, she continued. "Should there be any side effects, Severus?"

Rubbing his forehead in thought, the Potions Master finally shook his head. "I don't think so; the potion was quite strong and he must have been breathing it for at least two or three minutes, so it might take him a while to completely wake up. I guess he's going to feel drowsy for some time."

The nurse nodded in understanding and gathered her things. "Very well, I don't see any reason of why he shouldn't wake on his own, but if by tomorrow evening he hasn't awakened, call me, I'll bring something to force him awake."

Severus nodded and after thanking her, he led her to the fireplace. Once she had disappeared, he went back to his lab, knowing he had the healing salve still there and hoping he could still save it. He left the door to the living room open so he could keep an eye on the sleeping boy. At least that night there would be no nightmares.

Once he finished with the salve he put everything away and had some dinner. After that he just decided to go to bed, after all, he felt like he could sleep for hours. Gathering his son in his arms, he went to his own room. There was no way he would leave Zach alone for so many hours, and he really didn't feel like sleeping in a chair. With a wave of his wand, he changed both their clothes into pyjamas, and got them both into the large bed.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for beta-reading this.


	32. Awakening

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Very slowly, Zach started to regain consciousness. His mind was completely numb and it was taking him a great effort to try and wake up. If it wasn't because he knew that he wasn't in a natural sleep, he would have just drifted for a while longer, content to lay there surrounded by warmth and comfort. It took him nearly half an hour to be able to open his eyes. The room was surrounded by darkness even though Zach suspected it was way past breakfast. Turning his head slightly, he saw that the curtains had been completely drawn, not allowing light to come in.

He was trying to gather enough strength to sit up when the door opened, allowing a bit of light to flood into the room. A soft voice reached him through the darkened room.

"Ah, you're finally awake."

Harry's numbed mind tried to identify the voice; he knew it was familiar, but right now not much thought seemed to pass through his haziness. He blinked when he fell a cool hand press on his forehead. The man that had spoken to him had moved into the room, closing the door behind him and returning the room to darkness.

"Zach?" Gentle hands moved his face so he was looking at the dim profile of a tall man. A blink and his mind finally realized that it was his father standing over him. A small feeling of anger spilled into him, but he was too tired to remember why he had been angry with the man. It didn't really matter right now; all he wanted to do was go back to sleep and stay that way for a long time. He had just closed his eyes when the potions master shook him gently.

"Don't go back to sleep, Child, I need to make sure you'll be alright. Can you hear me?"

Harry forced a small sound past his throat and hoped it would be enough, because he didn't think he could manage more than that at the moment. Gentle hands settled on his wrist, taking his pulse while Severus' voice kept sounding through the room. Harry wasn't sure what his father was saying, but it didn't matter; the voice was an anchor that helped him stay awake, just as his father wanted.

Snape checked on his son's scrapes, making sure they had healed completely all the while talking calmly to the boy. He was quite sure that the younger wizard wasn't processing a word he was saying but his voice seemed to be enough to calm the other wizard and keep him awake, even if by now he was only reciting potion recipes. Once he was done with his exam, he lifted Zach slightly and moved to sit behind him so that the boy leaned against his shoulder. Taking the bowl of soup that he had asked from a house-elf, he carefully spoon-fed his son. He was a bit worried when Harry just opened his mouth and allowed himself to be fed. He knew by now that his son would have never done it if he had been feeling all right.

He was halfway through the bowl when Harry drew away and tucked his head firmly into his shoulder, like a small kid trying to hide from something he didn't want to. Understanding the hint and not feeling like forcing the boy, Severus vanished the bowl away and moved so that Zach was once again lying flat on the bed. Hazy eyes looked up at him, and he gently caressed the young man's hair.

"Go to sleep, Child, I'll be here when you wake up."

Harry didn't need to be told twice and not a minute later, he was once again deeply asleep.

They repeated the same process that night and once again the morning after. Severus was really starting to worry that the potion would have some permanent effect on the boy and had already checked over his son's notes at least five times.

Finally, after two days of constant worries, Harry woke up with a lucid head. His body still felt heavy, and he was very comfortable lying in the strange bed, but he didn't have trouble keeping his eyes open. Blinking, the teenager looked to his side where he felt the bed deepened slightly and was startled to find his father deeply asleep on the bed. The man was still in his robes and sleeping on the blankets which was probably quite uncomfortable. Snape had deep shadows under his eyes and his skin was pale. It looked like he hadn't slept peacefully for a while. That sight brought everything back to Harry, even the half-made memories from when he had been deeply under the potion's influence.

Rubbing his eyes, he sat up slowly, keeping an eye on the sleeping man so he wouldn't wake him. His father obviously needed as much sleep as he could get. Unluckily, the man was a very light sleeper, and he was awake and sitting up on the bed before Zach had completely sat up.

"Um… good morning, Papa."

The man turned to him, relief plainly written on his face. Harry didn't have trouble remembering what had happened just before the potions explosion, but he couldn't feel angry with the man anymore. Not after how the potions master had been taking care of him. Suddenly he found himself pressed against a strong chest, thin arms embracing him tightly.

"I'm glad you're awake, Child, how are you feeling?"

Zach allowed himself to relax against the older man. "I'm fine."

His father pushed him away a bit by the shoulder so he could look him in the eye. "Are you sure about that?"

He was about to reiterate that he was feeling fine, but the dark eyes demanded he tell his father all the details.

"I'm feeling a bit heavy still, but I don't want to go back to sleep yet, not like before. And I'm a bit hungry."

At that, he was pressed back against his pillows and Severus stood up from the bed. "Alright, I'm going to get you something to eat and to warn Madam Pomfrey that you're awake. I want her to look you over. If she says you're alright, we're going to have a serious chat about lab safety."

Harry groaned, but his father was already out of the door before he could complain. Sighing, he settled back into the bed, knowing there was nothing he could do when his father was determined to do something. Barely a minute later, a soft pop announced his lunch's arrival. Sitting up, he started to eat while waiting for the other man to get there.

He was halfway through the soup when the potions Master arrived with the nurse. She immediately pushed his tray away, much to the boy's annoyance, and started to check him over. The silence was broken by Poppy's mutters while father and son remained patiently silent, waiting for her to finish and leave. The nurse finally decided that Harry would be fine as long as he slept the potion completely off and after that pronouncement she left the two men alone.

Still silent, Severus put the tray back on his son's knees and sat down on a conjured chair next to the bed.

"I'm glad you're awake again. I was… worried."

Harry shot him a small smile. "I'm sorry, Papa, I didn't mean to blow the room up." A worried frown fell over his face. "Was anything damaged badly?"

Shaking his head, the potions master settled back more comfortably in the chair. "No, which doesn't mean I want you brewing potions in there."

Harry looked disappointed, his mind already trying to find a more appropriate location for his potions. He could, of course, use his trunk as he had been doing till then, but he doubted his father wouldn't notice if he disappeared several hours a day. Not seeming to notice the pensive mood his son was in, the older man continued speaking.

"I have cleared a bit of space in my personal lab, you can work there whenever you want."

Zach's head snapped up, eyes round in surprise. "What? You'll let me work in your lab?"

Severus spread his hands over his knees, carefully considering how to word his next thoughts. "To know what was wrong with you, I had to look over your potions journal." Seeing an upset look starting to grow over the boy's face, he quickly raised his hands. "I promise I only looked over the potion you had been brewing, I wouldn't intrude in something like that."

Zach couldn't help sending a resentful look towards the man. "Didn't stop you before."

Snape winced, knowing he had deserved those harsh words. "I believe I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have intruded into your mind like that. You have every right to not trust me after that, but know that I will never try to do something like that again, whether with your mind, your possessions, or your knowledge."

The boy nodded slightly, still not sure if he could believe it but willing to give the man another chance to prove that his trust in him wasn't misplaced. Once he had finished his meal, Zach clambered out of the bed.

Severus narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Where are you going?"

Zach shook his head, a small smile playing over his lips. "I want to take a shower and use the bathroom, and then I'll go to my own room. You look dreadful, I'm sure you can use just as much sleep as I could."

While the man wanted to argue, he knew that his son was right. He was feeling tired and wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and sleep for a long time. But as long as Zach needed him, he would remain at his side. Reluctantly, he let his son go. Not moving from his seat, he listened intently at the sounds coming from the closed bathroom door to make sure the boy wouldn't need him. Once Zach was finished, he went to his own room, not aware of the man watching him from the opened bedroom door.

Once Severus was sure that his son was safely in his own room, he vanished the empty tray of food and fell on his bed, intent to get a good rest.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader, Vinnie.


	33. A tale of the Past

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Harry sighed when he closed the door after checking that his father was asleep. He felt the need to go sleep too, but he wanted to do something first. Taking the Book of Communication, he opened the secret compartment of his trunk and walked inside. His father wasn't likely to wake up anytime soon, but he didn't want to risk him walking in on him again. Conjuring a comfortable couch, the boy settled himself in it and opened the book. He was quite surprised to see nearly two pages full of script. He hadn't really been expecting that. Sighing, he started to read.

"Dear Keeper, I'll assume someone interrupted you last time we spoke since you stopped answering my messages rather abruptly. I would advise you to be more careful in where you use this book."

Harry scowled slightly, he knew that already, after all he was down here now, wasn't he? Trying to placate his anger a bit, he returned his attention to the book.

"As accorded I've been trying to find clues about the locations of the Books of Zoa. There are not as many as I feared at first, barely ten spread through the world. The one closest to you location is held in an ancient vault, deep within the Gringots bank. The goblins protect it to the most of their ability even though they don't know what it is they guard, so that won't be a problem. There are two other books in europe besides the one you're guarding. One is located in a temple, high in the alpes and it's very unlikely anyone would be able to track down its existence. The other one was in the middle of the sea, I don't know how it appeared there but I have retrieved it so there is no danger of that book falling in the wrong hands."

Harry frowned, if the information was accurate, which he didn't doubt it was, then what on earth was Voldemort going after? The text continued in the next page and he had to fight the claiming drowsiness to keep on reading.

"All the other books are safely guarded and protected; most have been forgotten so it would take years for anyone to even find the smallest clue about their location. And even if they did, there's still the matter of translating it. I would say not to worry to much about, if it wasn't for a rumour that has reached my ears from some of my oldest friends. I don't know if this is true or not, you will have to judge it for yourself, I'll only relay it as it was told to me. About a thousand human years ago, a young wingly had decided he wanted to learn more about the human world and he left the safety of the forest in search for adventures. After many adventures, she ended in England and met a young human. She was known as a scholar in her world and her main objective was to discover the origin of all magic. This woman was called Rowena Ravenclaw, and if my sources are correct she founded that school of yours." Harry couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, just how much did that woman know about him? "Anyway, Rowena and the wingly became very close friends, and soon the wingly started to give her information long lost. Over the years, Rowena built an impressive library and, having learned the language of the dragons, she translated a few of the most interesting books. One day, the Keeper of that time got wind of what was happening. At that time the Keepers weren't against sharing information with those they considered worthy, but to translate the sacred books was something else altogether. The Keeper soon confronted the two and forced Rowena to burn all her translations allowing her to keep her private library till the moment of her dead. Once she died, the young wingly returned all the books to our world and left again. I haven't heard about her in several centuries and while I've tried to get in contact with her, she hasn't answered my summons yet.

What concerns me the most is that the Keeper was not very throughout when he made sure all the translated books had been handed over to him and it's possible that the witch translated the books again in secret after he left. If that Voldemort of yours is really looking for the book of Zoa and believes it to be close, then you might want to try and find out if there exists any translation. I will make sure the books I know about stay safe, and I will try to summon the young wingly, she probably knows more about this than anyone else right now. If you want to try and call her yourself, her name is Meru, and maybe you will attract her curiosity in a way I could never do."

There was a small update of that same day with no other news, so after telling the Wingly that he had received the message he closed the book. There was much information to contemplate, but his mind was starting to feel numb and refused to cooperate. With a sigh, Harry closed the book and shrunk it so he could keep it on him at all times. Walking up the stairs he closed his trunk, reverted it back to his original form and quickly went to bed. He had feared that he would have trouble sleeping with all the things he had learned, but that was not the case and sleep claimed him almost as soon as he laid his head on the pillow.

Severus was very surprised when he woke up the next morning and saw that he had missed breakfast. It must have been the first time in years that something like that had happened. After taking care of his morning abolitions, he left his room. He wasn't very surprised to see Zack's door still firmly closed. He would let the boy sleep for a while longer. Shaking his head, the man stepped into the living room and stopped short when he saw Albus sipping some tea there.

"Good morning, Headmaster, what brings you here?"

The older wizard smiled gently at his younger friend. "I came down to check on the two of you, it's not very usual for you to miss breakfast, Severus."

The Potions Master mumbled a soft apology which Dumbledore brushed aside with a small movement of his hand. "Don't worry about that. I wanted to talk to you about something else."

Severus nodded and served himself a cup of tea before settling down in a chair. "What is this about?"

Dumbledore carefully places his cup of tea on the table, any hint of amusement gone from his face. "Bill Weasley firecalled me this morning. There was an attempt to get into Gringots late last night."

Severus pressed his lips together. Since the problem with the Philosopher's stone, no one had tried to breach one of the vaults in Gringots. That someone had risked it now was a very serious matter. "Do they know who did it? And what they were looking for?"

Dumbledore shook his head lightly. "We don't know who it was, but we know he was heading towards some of the most ancient vaults before he was found out. The thief managed to flee, but the Goblins assure us that he must still be within the bank. Bill was quite sure that they would find him, the only concern was whether he would be alive to tell us what we need to know."

Severus rubbed his eyes lightly. He was sure that this was not a coincidence. Voldemort was looking for a very old book and a few days after they heard about that, Gringots had been breached.

"Do the Goblins know what's in those vaults, that book may be in there."

Dumbledore pressed his lips together, clearly unhappy about something. "I talked to the head Goblin of Britain's Gringots bank, he told me that no one knew what exactly was in those vaults. When I tried to convince him that we should see what was down there that would draw our enemy's attention he nearly threw me of his office. The goblins were ordered to keep those vaults safe and to never allow anyone inside who didn't know the right password. Not even them have ever entered them. I'm afraid we will not find out what's in there."

Severus sighed. "Look at it this way, it seems that neither will the Dark Lord."

A shadow of a smile flew through Dumbledore's face, lightening his grim expression. "Yes, well, I doubt he will give up so easily."

Snape nodded in agreement, knowing just how stubborn the serpent-like man was when crossed. Both men fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. That was how Harry found them nearly twenty minutes later. One look at them and he knew there was something wrong.

"What has happened?"

Severus looked up sharply, he had been so lost in thoughts that he hadn't heard his son enter the room. "How are you feeling?"

Zach sighed as his father stood up and approached him. "I'm feeling fine, papa."

The older man gently touched his face, where a bruise had been the day before. "Mmh, it seems you're healed, good."

Then, without another word, he ushered the boy to the table were breakfast was already waiting for him, ignoring the boy's attempts to find out what had the Headmaster and him in such pensive states.

Under Severus' watchful eyes, Zach filled his plate with food, but didn't start eating. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the old Headmaster. "What has happened."

Albus, seeing the stubborn glint in the boy's eyes, smiled softly, especially when Severus insisted that the boy eat and his son ignored him. Shaking his head at the impending argument, the oldest man quickly explained about Gringots while Zach gave in and started on his breakfast.

While he listened to the Headmaster's explanation, Zach started to frown. It seemed Voldemort and Lucius weren't as oblivious to the Book's location as he had thought before. But why go after a Book they wouldn't be able to read? Unless, of course, that was not the only Book there. He dropped his spoon abruptly, drawing both adults' attention to him, but he didn't mind them. What if there really existed a translation of the book? And what if is was somewhere within Gringots? He would have to send a message to Lady Charle when he had the chance, while he trusted the Goblins to keep their bank safe, he knew that Voldemort wouldn't give up when he had his mind set on something. Even if the Dark Lord had to bring the Bank down, Zach was sure that sooner or later he would get his hands on the book.


	34. A father's pride

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters 

The Keeper of Secrets.

After seeing Dumbledore out of their rooms, Severus turned to his son, who had been sitting silently starring at nothing from the moment the Headmaster had mentioned the near robbery. He knew there was something going on with the boy and he wished he could find out what it was. Yet, there was nothing he could do right now. His son didn't seem inclined to share his worries and he wasn't about to force him to tell him. Sighing, he put a hand on the teenager's shoulder, making him jump.

"You were very far away."

Zach smiled a bit hesitantly up to his father. "I'm sorry, Papa. I was wondering what Voldemort would do next. I don't think he's going to give up if there is something he wants down there."

Snape sighed and sat down next to the boy. "I agree, but there's not much we can do about it. The Goblins refuse to allow us entrance, and we can hardly place our forces there to protect a mere book, not even knowing if it's a myth or even if it is important."

Harry nodded in agreement. He still didn't understand what good the book would do to Voldemort, but he wasn't really willing to risk him getting his snake-like hands on it. But what could he do? Not even revealing that he was the Keeper would help right now. Sure, he could tell them what the contents of the Book, but what would that help? If only he could retrieve the book placed in Gringotts and reassure himself that Rowena hadn't left any translation lying around there. His father's voice once again disrupted his thoughts.

"What are you planning on doing today?"

Zach blinked at the man sitting next to him. His father was watching him intently. "Do?"

The older wizard frowned. "Are you sure you're feeling well, Zach? Maybe you should go back to bed, and I'll call Madam Pomfrey, you're a bit spaced out. It could be a side effect of the potion."

Zach shook his head. "No, that's not necessary, Papa, I'm feeling fine. There's just a lot on my mind."

Severus didn't look convinced. "Are you sure about that?"

The teenager nodded emphatically, he didn't whish to see the medi-witch until school started again. "I'm very sure. Anyway, I don't know what I'll be doing today. Maybe I'll finish reading that book you lent me and then go for a walk around the lake, or something like that."

Severus nodded pensively. He had wanted to spend a bit of time with the boy but if he had plans, he didn't want to interfere with them. "That's fine, Zach. Anyway, if you find yourself bored, I have retrieved my journals of when I was trying to brew a non-addictive sleeping potion. I never managed to finish it, but if you are interested in looking through them, I've left them in the lab."

Harry's face lighted up, all thoughts of everything else leaving them at once. "I can read them? Really?"

Severus couldn't help the smile that briefly touched his lips. He still remembered a time when he had been so enthusiastic about brewing potions. He still loved the art but he had spent too many hours teaching and brewing simple potions to retain Zach's enthusiasm.

"Of course. From what I read of your work you were doing a very good job of it, maybe my journals will help you find new ideas or will keep you from trying things I already did and didn't work."

Harry went very still at those words, his eyes started to tear up a bit while a jubilant grin fought to appear on his face. "You really think I did a good job with the potion? But I blew it up."

Severus waved his hand as if dismissing the thought. "That happens all the time when you're experimenting. That's why I want you to work in a proper lab. There are all kind of safety charms around to ensure your safety. And yes, I think you did a very good job with the potion. And actually, I'm quite looking forward to see just how much you know. If you want to, we could discuss a few ideas I've had, not only with the sleeping potion but other potions where I'm stuck. Maybe you could give me a few new ideas, those are always welcome."

He barely had time to finish his sentence before he was pressed into the chair he was sitting in by the heavy presence of his son on his lap. The boy was hugging him tightly around the neck, cutting his air supply in his excitement.

"Zach! Air."

The boy sat back on his lap, his arms loosening his hold on him. Severus was surprised to see tears shining in the boy's eyes even though a bright smile was lighting his whole face up.

"Zach? What's wrong?"

Harry gulped, trying to gather his thoughts together. "You really think I did well? You're… proud of me?"

Suddenly understanding, Severus closed his arms firmly around the younger wizard. "Yes, you did very well, but even if you couldn't brew the most simple potion, I would be proud of you."

They remained seated together for a few, long minutes, before Severus felt his legs begin to grow numb. He gently bent down and placed a soft kiss on his son's brow before standing up, Zach firmly in his arms. The teenager squeaked in surprise before his father put him down. Snape smiled slightly and started to move towards his lab. "Join me when you want to, alright?"

Zach nodded enthusiastically. "Let me write a letter to Chiara, and I'll be right with you."

The teenager watched with a smile as the door to the lab closed softly after his father. He felt so giddy right now. To know that his father was proud of him, of what he had done, of his skills… he never would have thought it would feel so good. Shaking his head, he tried to return his attention to the Book problem. He needed to send a note to Lady Charle, then he better write to Chiara since he hadn't done it in a few days, and then he would join his father in the lab.

Chiara was standing on her balcony, scowling into the dark night. She had had another argument with her brother. What on earth had possessed her to invite him along? She should have known that even thought he now knew they were siblings it wouldn't change anything. He was still just as prejudiced, cruel, and rude as he had been last year. Why had she hoped it would change? Why would she even want him as a brother? She had Zach, and Ron and the other Weasleys, it's not like she lacked siblings. And yet, yet, Heron was her real family. They shared blood. But was that so important?

She was pondering just about that question when a soft voice made her tense up.

"I'm trying, you know?"

"Are you?"

She didn't move as her twin brother came to stand next to her. He didn't look at her, preferring instead to stare out at nothing, like she had been doing.

"Yes, I'm trying. Maybe not as hard as I should, since I keep messing things up, but this all is so different to me, so new… I'm not sure how to react half of the time, and then I find myself falling back on old behaviours. I'm sorry about that."

Chiara sighed and leaned against her folded hands. "I'm sorry too, I should be more understanding. My head knows this is much harder for you than for me, but my heart doesn't have as much understanding."

Heron glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. It was disconcerting looking at her and knowing she looked just as he did. "Maybe I shouldn't have come, it probably was a mistake."

Chiara didn't look up, after all she had been thinking along those lines before. And yet… "As difficult as this is, I do wish to have you as my brother."

Heron laughed softly, so different from his usual cold, scornful laughs. "I think it's more like you wish to have a brother. It doesn't necessarily have to be me."

Hermione shrugged. "But you are."

Draco nodded. "Yes, I am. And you are my sister. And I have always wanted to have a sister. But I never imagined it would turn out like this."

The girl sighed. "Neither did I."

They remained silent for a long while, afraid to break to strange, peaceful moment between them. Draco finally broke the silence. "We're going back in two days, what are you planning on doing then?"

Hermione blinked and raised her head so she could look at her brother. "I haven't given it much thought. Usually I would go spend the remainder of the summer at Ron's house."

Heron couldn't help the grimace that stole over his face and Hermione narrowed her eyes, but when he didn't say anything, she let it go. After all, she knew that the enmity between her brother and Ron was by no means one sided. The fact that Draco hadn't commented was a sure sign that he was indeed trying.

"What are you going to do?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know. I don't have anywhere to go. I don't even know if my father... I mean, Lucius, has really disowned me and if he has, I have no idea who my new guardian might be."

Hermione frowned. That might be a problem. Of course, she could invite him to stay with her, and yet, if she was going to go to the Weasleys that would be a very bad idea. The thought alone of Draco spending time at the Burrow sent shivers down her spine. That wouldn't do at all, they would all kill each other before September.

"Maybe we should ask Professor Snape. He's bound to know, and he is our godfather."

Heron nodded. "I had thought of it, but I didn't really want to intrude into his time with Pot… Zach."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "Well, unless you wish to come with me to the Weasleys, I think we better contact him."

Heron blinked and stood up straighter. "No offence, Chiara, I really want to try at this sibling thing, but I think that spending time with the Weasleys is just too much to ask."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the slight panic that coloured his voice. "No, I didn't think that would be a good idea at all. Come on, let's go write a letter to the professor."

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for beta-reading this.


	35. Lady Meru

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Zach sighed as he sat down in the library, a large stack of books balanced in front of him. After spending the day before in the lab with his father, he had decided it was time to try and track down anything that was left belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw. He didn't know if there actually was any translation from the woman, but he didn't dare risk it. The break in the other day had showed him just how serious Voldemort was in his pursue of the book. That, coupled with the fact that Lucius Malfoy himself was after it, filled him with a sense of urgency that he didn't like. He needed to make sure there was no way for the Dark Lord to get his hands on the book or a copy of the book, even though he honestly didn't understand what purpose it could serve. He had gone through his own copy the night before and he still hadn't found any reference as to what could interest the Slytherin heir in such way. Maybe he would need to look it over more carefully, but he doubted he would find anything.

Shaking his head, he returned his attention to the stack of books he had retrieved from the shelves just a few minutes before. All the books were from the Restricted Section and talked about the Founders. He had tried to centre his search on Rowena, but it had been difficult to find a text that didn't talk about all four of them. Quickly sorting through the books, he settled back with a thick tome and started to read.

A few hours later, he sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had read quite a bit, but he had not found anything that would help him. There were mentions of Rowena coming from a wealthy family, which would imply that she must have had some kind of property, and yet he had only found vague insinuations about a manor or a castle somewhere. That information had been lost in time and no matter how many books he looked through, they always seemed more interested in the founders' achievements than on their private lives. At that thought, Zach closed the book he had been flipping through with a snort. He wished the wizard world was like that. That they left the private life of others alone, but that was too much to hope for.

Looking down at his watch, the teenager was surprised to see that it was halfway through lunch time. With a muttered oath, he flipped his hand and sent the books back to their places. Quickly, he made his way up to the Great Hall, hoping his father wouldn't be annoyed at him. Severus had been nearly obsessed on feeding him and lately he hadn't been able to skip any meals, no matter what reason. The day before they had even stopped working on a potion to eat lunch even though Zach knew damn well that his father wouldn't have stopped had he been alone.

Everyone looked up when he entered the room and he had to fight down a blush while he walked to the free space between his father and Minerva. The older man bent his head slightly to him as soon as he sat down.

"Where were you? I was about to go find you."

Zach stifled a sigh, not knowing whether he should be annoyed or not. "I was in the library, I didn't notice the time. I'm sorry I'm late, Papa."

The dark haired man frowned slightly at him, but decided it wasn't worth to argue with his son over such a small thing. "Try to keep better track; next time I'll send an elf to retrieve you. I don't want you to miss any meals, and it's not polite to enter when everyone is already eating."

Zach flushed and sank farther into his seat. Muttering an apology to the older man, he started to put food on his plate while glancing around. He was relieved to see no one seemed to pay any attention to them. He didn't feel comfortable with the thought that everyone might hear his father chastising him. His father, noticing his obvious embarrassment, turned to face Albus, who was sitting on his other side and started a conversation with him.

The teenager was relieved by this and soon forgot about what had happened. While quietly eating his lunch, his mind returned to his morning activity. How on earth would he be able to find the place or places Rowena might have hidden such books? It seemed an impossible task; those books might not even be where Rowena had last left them, who knew what had happened to all her possessions when she passed away. It had been more than a thousand years after all. And yet, if Lucius had found a way to track it down, there had to be a way to do it. There had to be a way to find some information about where Rowena could have stored her things before she died. Suddenly, a thought entered his mind. Of course! Why hadn't he thought about it before? He jumped out of his chair, not minding the startled stares he drew from the people sitting around him at the table, and ran out of the Great Hall.

Severus scowled. What on earth had gotten into that boy? Standing up, he was about to follow the teenager when Fawkes appeared in a burst of flames. Everyone looked startled at the majestic bird.

Dumbledore gently petted the bird's feathers and took the message he had brought. "Mmh, interesting."

Severus looked as the old wizard read the letter, torn between staying to find out what was going on and going after his son. He was about to do the last, figuring he would hear what had happened later, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"Please stay, Severus. It seems the intruder has been caught. Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt are right now questioning him under Veritaserum and will call us here the moment they know something of relevance."

Torn between interest and annoyance, Severus regained his seat. Everyone sat in silence for a few seconds before the Potions Master called out. "Neil."

A small house elf appeared just besides his chair. "What may Neil do for Master Snape?"

"I would like you to tell my son that he is to come up here at once."

Dumbledore smiled softly. "Now, Severus..."

The younger man scowled at him. "Stay out of this, Albus. I won't allow my child to run around like that, disregarding the basic rules of politeness. Not to mention that he has not eaten anything yet today."

The other teachers smiled slightly at the half chastising, half worried tone the man was using. It was certainly a welcome change from his usual snarls. Neil, seeing no one else was going to argue with the Potions Master, left in a silent pop.

Zach was about to enter his trunk, anxious to get to his books and try to find something else out, when a soft pop told him he was no longer alone in the room. Whirling around, wand already in hand, he came face to face with a beautiful woman. She had long, blue hair which framed a small, pale face. Her eyes were bright blue and her pink lips were curved in an amused smile. From her back came two strange wings that seemed to be formed by rays of light. A quick look down confirmed the fact that she was floating about a foot in the air bringing them to the same height. She was dressed in white robes with blue motives, which were fluttering around her slight form. Slowly lowering his wand, he cautiously continued to stare at her, noticing she was doing just the same. The tense silence was broken when the woman laughed softly.

**So, you're the new Keeper; you're quite young.**

Zach wasn't very startled at hearing her speak in Draconian, he had a very good guess about his unexpected guest's identity. **Indeed.**

That drew another laugh from the woman. **I see you're able to speak the old language, quite a feat for one so young. Lady Rose taught you well.**

Zach raised an eyebrow. **You knew her?**

The woman shook her head.** I knew about her. We never had the chance, nor the necessity, to meet. I like to keep track of the Keepers, it's always useful to know about them.**

The teenager nodded. **So you also knew about me.**

The wingly, for that was what she was, floated a bit higher. **Of course. You're quite interesting, you know. The first halfling to be a Keeper since Zaared. He lived about 700 years ago.**

Harry shrugged slightly, that was hardly his fault, now was it? **May I ask what you're doing here, Lady Meru?**

The woman laughed again. **And smart too, Lady Rose sure knew how to choose them.** Zach remained silent, it was hardly a feat to guess who this wingly was, it's not like you could find them at every corner. **I have to admit I was curious. I heard Lady Charle's summon, which hasn't happened in a very long time. I don't think she expected me to answer because she told me what I needed to know. It seems that Voldemort of yours is after the Book of Zoa, isn't he?**

Zach nodded, sinking to his bed. **Yes, I can't figure out what he wants with it, but it can't be good, that's for sure.**

Meru floated around the air, now lying on her back and looking pensively to the ceiling. **I don't think it's only the book he wants. He's probably after Rowena's translation.**

Zach sprang up. **So there really is a translation!**

The wingly chuckled slightly, turning her head to look at him. **Sure there is. Actually, Rowena possessed several copies of the book, all written by her, and both in old English and in Draconian.**

The boy frowned at the being floating in the middle of his bedroom. **Don't you think it was dangerous to help her translate those books?**

The woman regarded him pensively. **Knowledge is knowledge. Rowena was smart and curious enough to figure things out, so why shouldn't she have known about us? She was hardly a danger to the wingly, and she didn't want anything else than to learn new things. How is that dangerous?**

Zach sighed, of course she had a point, and yet... **It's going to be dangerous if Voldemort gets his hands on the books.**

Meru shrugged.** That may be the case, but it's hardly Rowena's fault.**

The Gryffindor nodded, he could hardly argue against that. **So, if Voldemort isn't interested in the Book of Zoa, then why is he looking for them?**

The Wingly raised an eyebrow. **You're not paying attention. Voldemort doesn't want the original Book, he wants Rowena's copies.**

Zach frowned.** They're different?**

Before the woman had a chance to answer, another sound rang through the room. Zach turned to see as a house elf appeared beside his bed. He quickly turned to where Meru had been floating but there was no trace of the Wingly left.

"Young Master Snape?"

Blinking, he turned to the house elf, still trying to comprehend what the Wingly had done to disappear from his rooms with such a speed. "Neil has a message from Master Snape. Young Master Snape is to go to the Great Hall at once."

Zach winced, he had completely forgotten about the man. His father was so not going to be happy with him. Sighing, he stood up, there was no sense in waiting around for the older man to come and fetch him himself. At least he had found out something, not that he would be able to explain that to his father.

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and many thanks to Vinnie for beta-reading this.


	36. The necessity of Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

It was with some trepidation that Zach entered the Great Hall. All the occupants looked up, making him shift uncomfortably. Before he could get farther into the room, his father had stood up and was approaching him, a dark scowl edged on his face. The young man winced inside while trying to keep still on the outside. He was in so much trouble. The Potions Master, firmly pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind them, shielding them from the praying eyes of the rest of the faculty.

"May I ask what was so important that you had to ignore my orders to eat, and run out of the room as if it was on fire?"

Zach kept his eyes fixed on his father's boots, not willing to face the man's displeasure. "I'm sorry."

"That's not an answer."

Zach shifted a bit. "It's just I suddenly thought of something, and I wanted to check it out at once."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Must have been important. I didn't think about asking you before, but what was so interesting in the library that nearly caused you to miss lunch. Lunch, which you haven't eaten yet, by the way."

Harry winced, his mind frantically trying to come up with something that would convince his father. "I was looking for the effect of an ingredient on a potion."

The Potions Master nodded. "That is certainly interesting, which ingredient are you having trouble with? Maybe I can help you."

Zach shifted, he didn't like the tone the older man was using. While it was agreeable enough, his face was still etched in a stern frown. "Mmh, well, it wasn't an ingredient in particular, it was more like something that would neutralize Kneasel's hair, because the potion would else become too acid and then..."

"I don't appreciate you lying to me."

Severus watched as his son winced and took a small step back. The obvious nervousness coming from the boy and the small shudder that ran through him convinced him that he was right in that his son was lying to him. "You have exactly ten seconds to start telling me what is going on."

Zach clenched his fists and bit his lip. He didn't want to tell his father. He couldn't tell his father. He didn't want for everyone to know that he was the Keeper. But he couldn't tell the man what he had been doing without telling him everything.

"I can't tell you."

Severus' eyes didn't waver from the tense youth in front of him. If he hadn't been paying such a rapt attention to the boy, he would have missed those softly whispered words. "You can't tell me?"

Zach shook his head but didn't add anything else. The tense silence was interrupted by Minerva, who opened the door and looked at them.

"Severus."

The man didn't take his eyes from his son, his mind trying to figure out what on earth he had to do now.

"Yes?"

"Albus wants you back in."

The Potions Master nodded. "Give me a minute."

The Head of Gryffindor nodded and closed the door once again. When he was sure that the door was firmly closed, Severus spoke. "You will come in with me and eat. After that, you will go straight to your room. You are grounded a week for lying to me. During this week you'll have breakfast and dinner with me in our rooms. Lunch will be eaten here. In the mornings, you'll stay in your room, either reading or doing homework. In the evenings, you will help me clean up the lab. I have been putting off cleaning it out but now is just as good a time as any other. You will be in bed at ten. Do you understand me?"

Zach nodded. "Yes, Father."

As Severus turned around and headed to the door a soft question stopped him. "Aren't you going to force me to tell you?"

The older man turned his dark eyes to the teenager. "And how would you have me do that? Veritaserum? Legilimency? If you don't trust me, then there is nothing I would gain with forcing you to reveal anything to me."

And with those words, the man entered the Great Hall, leaving his son staring after his back. Zach couldn't help but feel he had made a grave mistake, but what else could he have done? Trying to ignore the dread that filled him, he entered the room after his father; he was not about to annoy the man further.

The table had already been cleared when he took his seat next to his father, but a plate appeared in front of him. It seemed the Potions Master had already spoken to the house elves. Looking around slightly, he noticed a bald man sitting next to Dumbledore. He was quite sure he hadn't been there before, and he couldn't remember having ever met him. The man was speaking in hushed tones with the Headmaster while the other teachers were obviously waiting for one of the two to speak. Zach had a feeling he had missed something. A nudge from his father, reminded him that he still had to eat, so he returned his attention to his food.

Zach was halfway through his meal when Dumbledore looked up.

"As I told you before, the man who entered Gringots has been caught. The aurors questioned him shortly after, and he gave them some important information. The man is called Marcus Hellraiser, while he is not a Death Eater, he is being sought in several countries for robbery. He is one of the best. Lucius Malfoy paid him quite a bit of money. His mission was to infiltrate Gringots, get to the lower vaults and try to force his way into the one belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw. We don't know how he got to the precise knowledge if which vault belonged to the Founder as no one quite knows it. We suspect it might have been some of the goblins."

Minerva frowned. "And he was looking for that book in there?"

Kingsley nodded. "It seems that Voldemort thinks that Rowena Ravenclaw not only possessed a copy of said book, but that she also translated it."

Flitwick leaned back in his chair. "Then it is good he didn't reach the vaults. We should warn the goblins so that they can upgrade their security."

The auror nodded. "A few aurors are already doing that, but I fear it won't help much."

Snape narrowed his eyes. "Why not? It's not like that fool got anywhere close to the vault."

"Hellraiser says that trying to raid the vault was really more of a distraction. Voldemort had located the ancient house of Ravenclaw, which was hidden and thought lost for the last five centuries. As we speak, the Death Eaters are probably moving to it."

Minerva sprang to her feet. "What are we doing here then? We should go after them!"

Dumbledore sighed. "That's just the problem. We have no idea where the house is and Hellraider didn't have the information. We'll have to wait and hope that there is some sign of Death Eater activity. The aurors are ready to go at the smallest notice, but I would like for Severus and Remus to be ready. You will go with Kingsley if he is called. Leave the battling for the aurors, and try to find the book or at least try to keep Voldemort's followers from getting it."

Harry bit his lip. He had been listening silently to the planning and was growing anxious. He wished he could do something. If he had just found out where Rowena had lived, maybe he could have given his father the information. He nearly jumped out of his seat when his father placed a hand on his shoulder. Looking into the serious eyes of his father, Harry bit his lip. He could easily see that the man was still quite angry with him and yet the hand on his shoulder was gentle. "I want you to go to your room now. We'll start with the lab tomorrow as you see that there is something else that will be taking my time this evening. I'm warning you now, if I find out you have gone against my wishes and stepped out of your room, there will be hell to pay. The only exception will be to use the bathroom. Is that clear?"

Zach lowered his head and nodded slightly. Yes, his father was still very angry. Standing up, the teenager left the Great Hall and morosely walked to his room. This was going to be a long evening.

Zach had been lying on his bed for what seemed for hours. He was not in the mood for reading anything and his confinement meant he had no other means of distraction. The fact that his father had forbidden him from brewing anything in his rooms meant he couldn't even pass the time doing that. Sighing, he rolled so he was lying on his side and nearly jumped out of the bed when he found out that he was not alone anymore. Cursing he sprang up and glared at the now laughing wingly.

**That was certainly not funny.**

The woman struggled to contain her mirth at the indignant look in Zach face.** I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. It looked like you were very far away.**

**I was. How did you get in here anyway, the first time I heard a sound, but this time there was nothing to indicate you came in.**

Meru smiled mysteriously and brought a finger to her lips.** That's a secret.**

Zach sent her an annoyed glare and threw himself to his chair.** Secrets are bloody annoying.**

The Wingly smiled as she rose to the air. **Maybe, but sometimes they are necessary.**

The teenager sighed sadly. **I know.**

**And yet, other times, they are not as necessary as one would believe.**

Zach blinked. **What do you mean?**

Meru turned around in the air so she was facing him. **Look at you and your father for example. You have a secret, he wants to know what is going on with you, and yet, you believe you cannot tell him.**

The wizard scowled at her. **That secret is necessary.**

The wingly looked at him intently.** Is it really? **Before the boy could answer, she looked back up to the ceiling and spoke again. **Many centuries ago the Keepers were well known, they were the railing points for those who looked for knowledge. They more or less kept themselves available for those who wished to gain knowledge from the ancient times. The first Keeper that kept to herself was a young woman named Calith. She was five years old when she entered the home of the former Keeper and immediately she shone out because of her great intelligence. The Keeper chose her as his successor when she was only eight. That was something the older apprentices didn't like. Usually Keepers were chosen from the oldest apprentices, which meant that while well prepared, they didn't last very long. Calith's teacher decided to change that and appointed her as the next keeper, ensuring that she would hold the knowledge for many years to come. He died when Calith was only fifteen years old. The older apprentices tried to get the knowledge away from her as they believed they had more right to it than she did. Two years later, Lady Calith had enough of it. She gathered her books and her knowledge and disappeared. No one knows for sure where she went. Even I lost track of her. For a while we thought that she might have died, but Lady Charle was the only one who still kept in contact with her. From that point on, the general public hasn't known much about the Keepers. But that doesn't mean some of the Keepers haven't confided some of their knowledge to worthy ones.**

Zach listened intently to what the Wingly was saying. **Basically, you're telling me to tell my father.**

Meru shrugged.** That is for you to decide. I only want you to know that you would not be the first Keeper to share his knowledge. Lady Rose was a recluse, but that doesn't mean you have to be one too.**

And with those words, the woman disappeared without a sound. Zach jumped out of his chair. **Hey, wait!**

But she was gone. Sighing, Zach went to laid back on his bed. Now at least he had something to think about.

A/N: Thanks for all reviews, the previous update was a repost due to the lack of marks around Lady Meru's conversation. Thanks to Vinnie for her beta-reading.


	37. No longer able to hide

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

It was half past two in the morning, and Zach was still awake. He had gone to bed at ten even though his father hadn't returned yet. Sighing, he turned in his bed yet another time. He had been unable to fall asleep, his mind torn between thinking about what Meru had said and worrying about his father. He hadn't heard anything from the man, and he hoped he was safe. He was tempted to get out of bed and try to check on him, but that would be a bad idea. Pissing his father off more was not something he wanted. So he stayed bundled in bed, his mind racing from one thought to another and his ears sharp, trying to pick up the slightest sound that would indicate his father's return.

It was nearly an hour later when he finally heard the door to their rooms open. He turned around so that he was lying facing the door. Maybe he should get up and check that it was really his father. He was about to do just that when the door to his room opened soundlessly. The dimmed light from the hall shone into his room, allowing him to make out the profile of his father's tall form. Zach didn't even pretend that he had been sleeping and sat up, startling the silent figure that had been looking at him.

"Why aren't you asleep, Zach?"

Severus moved into his son's room, waving the lights on. The house elf he had had watching his son had told him the boy had followed his instructions to the letter, which reassured him somewhat. So, he was surprised to see that the boy was awake. Maybe he had woken him when he entered the room? He didn't think that was possible; he had been trying to be silent, and he usually managed if he put his mind to it. Besides, Zach didn't look like he had just woken up.

"I couldn't sleep, I was worried."

Severus sat down on the bed next to his son. "Nothing too bad happened. We managed to track down several spots with high levels of dark magic; it seems Voldemort was very careful about his plans and had send most of his Death Eaters to cause trouble while Lucius Malfoy himself went to Ravenclaw's house. The aurors had to check several spots with high dark magic before they managed to track the right one. Sadly, we think Malfoy got what he wanted because as soon as we arrived, he left. We managed to retrieve several books that are written in a strange language but we don't know if any of them is even the Book the Dark Lord was after."

Zach looked worriedly at his father's concerned face. "So, Voldemort has the Book now." At his father's nod, he bit his lip slightly. "What are we going to do now?"

Severus shook his head and stood up. "We are going to get some sleep first; it's very late, or I should say very early. Later today we'll meet with everyone else and decide what we're going to do." Severus remained silent for a second before gazing sternly at his son. "Despite my wishes, Dumbledore wants you to come to this meeting, but I'm warning you, one step out of line and, no matter what Dumbledore says, you'll be stuck in your room for the time being. Got it?"

Zach sighed. "Yes, Father."

As Severus turned around to leave the room and go to his own room, Zach's soft voice stopped him.

"Papa?"

The tall man turned slightly so he could see the figure lying on the bed. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry about lying to you before. It's just that there are things I can't tell you, at least not yet, and I didn't think you would like it if I told you that."

Severus sighed. "I admit that I don't like you keeping things from me, but you have the right to keep your own secrets. I'm just a bit worried that whatever it is that you know will harm you."

Zach sank a bit deeper into the blankets. "I would tell you if it came to that."

Snape nodded. "I'll have to trust you know what you're doing."

And without another word the Slytherin left the room, closing the door after him. Zach closed his eyes, the question that had been playing around his mind all day returning now that he knew that his father was safe. What on Earth was he going to do now?

Severus hadn't been able to sleep very much the night before and it showed on his pale face. Looking around the circular table, he could tell he was not the only one who had had trouble sleeping. Everyone was eating their breakfast in silence, not in the mood to chatter. Glancing at his side, he saw that Zach's attention seemed to be completely focused on his bread, which he was slowly destroying instead of eating. Sighing, Severus gently placed a hand on his son's fiddling ones. The boy had been so lost in thought that he nearly jumped out of his seat at the contact.

"Destroying your breakfast is not a very good way to eat, you know."

Zach shook his head. "Sorry, Papa, I was lost in thought."

Before the older man could reply, an owl flew in the Great Hall. In the silent hall, everyone noticed its presence and curiously watched as it settled next to Severus. The bird seemed tired and gratefully accepted the piece of bacon Zach gave him while his father took the note attached to its claw. As soon as the bird was free and had eaten a bit, it flew away, probably going to look for a place to rest in the owlery. After reading the note for a second time, Severus folded it and put it in one of his pockets.

"Something wrong, Severus?"

The man looked up at the Headmaster, who was watching him intently. "No, no. Chiara and Heron are coming back next week and they don't quite know what to do about living arrangements. Chiara was going to stay with the Weasleys for a while, but Heron doesn't think it would be a good idea for him to be there."

The Headmaster chuckled softly. "No, I don't think that would work out very well. You're going to ask him to come here?"

Severus nodded. "Both of them, actually. We might ask Ronald to come here as well; we will need all the help we can get, and these three are known for finding the answers to the most impossible questions."

The Potions Master was looking down at his son while saying this, leaving no doubt about who he was talking about. The others chuckled while Zach glared half-heartedly up at his father.

The Headmaster shook his head slightly. "That's a good idea. And while we're at it, let's talk about what is going to happen now."

Waving his wand, the last remains of breakfast disappeared. In their place a stack of very old books appeared.

"Last night we managed to track down the place where we believed the Books of Zoa were hidden. Sadly, Lucius Malfoy arrived before us and disapparated before we could apprehend him. We know he took several books with him so it's quite safe to say the Voldemort has what he wanted by now." Looking around seriously, the old man placed a hand over the stack of books. "While the translations were gone, we think it's very possible Rowena owned at least a copy of the book in its original language. The Aurors are still looking through the many books that filled Rowena's library, but so far we managed to gather these books here. They are all written in some kind of old language. Charlie Weasley came by this morning with one of his older colleagues, they brought a few books of the reserve which they know for sure were written in Draconian. As far as we have been able to determine, the characters in all these books are the same, so we'll have to assume they were written in this ancient language."

Professor Urimel, the runes teacher, reached out and took one of the books carefully in her hands. She gently traced the faded letters written on the cover, trying to find some similarity between them and the many runes she knew. Everyone looked at her expectantly. After five minutes, she shook her head.

"They look nothing alike anything I've ever seen."

Dumbledore nodded. "I was afraid you were going to say that. I've sent Remus and Charlie to tour the different dragon reserves, in hopes to finding something more on this language, but while they are working at it, we will have to try and decipher the books on our own."

Professor Urimel shook her head as she put the book back on top of the others. "That could take us years, Albus."

The old headmaster nodded. "I know, and while I think we should try, I don't want this to distract you from your other duties." Turning to the youngest member of the staff he continued. "You were fairly good at ancient runes when you studied here, Severus. Would you mind helping Tamara look into this?"

Severus shook his head. "Not at all, Albus."

The Headmaster smiled slightly and gazed at the silent boy sitting next to his Potions Master. "As you said before, the children can help you out."

There was a strange glint in the man's eyes that made Zach shift uncomfortably. He was itching to get his hands on the books; he had been able to recognize two copies of the Book of Zoa between all others and he was curious as to what Rowena could have written in them that would spark Voldemort's curiosity. The meeting continued for a while longer, but nothing new came from it. All the teachers would help in trying to figure out the books, with Severus and Tamara Urimel being the two principal researchers.

Severus was watching his son curiously. All the teachers had moved to the library after the meeting was finished and had spent an hour going through all the books looking for as many references to ancient languages as possible. At the time, Severus hadn't noticed where his son had gone, but now he had found him, sitting alone in a corner of the library, staring intently down at one of the books they had brought in last night. He had been watching him for nearly ten minutes, and if he didn't know better, he could have sworn the boy was actually reading the book. But that was impossible. How would Zach know how to read an ancient language no one else was able to translate?

The Potions Master was startled out of his pensive mood when the boy cursed softly and closed the book with a soft bang. Severus watched as his son stood up and turned abruptly, coming face to face with him.

Zach froze when he noticed his father standing there, just watching him. He had been so intent in trying to find out what Rowena had added to the book that he had forgotten that the adults were moving around him. Looking at his father's eyes, he felt somewhat dismayed at seeing the curiosity shinning through those black orbs. The hope that his father had just gotten here vanished and he knew that he would have to give the man an explanation. Looking once again down at the book he was still clutching in his hands, he shook his head. It wasn't like he could keep this hidden, things had just gotten much more complicated.

Looking back up at his father, he took a deep breath. "I think we might need to go to your quarters, Papa. There's something I need to tell you."

Severus had watched as first fear and then resignation filled his son's eyes. After a while, the resignation was replaced by determination, and the Potions Master knew something big was going to happen. So, when his son requested they went to his office, he immediately agreed. Maybe he would finally find out what on Earth was going on with his boy.

To be continued...

A/N: thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for beta-reading this.


	38. The Keeper revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Severus didn't say anything when his son took the book with them instead of placing back with the others. The two Snapes walked silently side by side through the empty halls, both lost in thought. Zach was trying to figure out just how much he should tell his father while the older man was wondering just exactly what his son had kept from them.

When they reached their rooms, Zach immediately went to his own room, knowing his father would follow him. Once they were both inside, the teenager knelt in front of his trunk and pushed the right buttons so it would open to the room that had kept his library for the last few years. Severus watched everything closely from his pace just inside the door. Once the trunk was open and the stairs to the inside visible, Zach turned slightly to his father.

"We'll talk inside."

And before the Potions Master could complain, the boy started to walk down the stairs. Blinking, Severus approached the trunk and looked inside. From his place near the door he hadn't had a clear sight, but now he could see a dark room lying at the end of the stairs. Trusting that the younger wizard knew what he was doing, the Head of Slytherin cautiously followed the boy. Once he reached the bottom, he felt the lid of the trunk close over them. They were completely surrounded with darkness, which just unnerved the man slightly. It was not that he was afraid of the dark, far from it, but he didn't like the feeling of helplessness it evoked in him. Taking his wand from his pocket, Severus waved it silently, trying to light it with a lumos. But to his surprise, it didn't work.

"Zach?"

His voice was much sterner than he had intended, just a sign of how unnerved he was by the situation. He didn't feel his son close to him and indeed, when the boy answered, it seemed he was standing quite a bit away from him.

"Just a second, Papa."

Not even a minute after his son had said that, a fire was lit on a far wall, completely illuminating the room. Severus blinked at the light that suddenly filled the chamber, and to his surprise, he saw that it was completely empty, only the bit of wood that Zach had used to light the fire filled the room. With a frown, he walked to his son, who was carefully tending to the growing fire.

"If you wanted a private place to talk, we could have warded my rooms. It would have been much more comfortable."

The boy looked up with a small smile. "I know, that's not why I brought you here."

The younger wizard stood up and brushed the few ashes that had flown to his robe, away.

Then, under the curious gaze of his father, he took his crest necklace out so that the older man could see it. Turning it around, he heard a soft gasp echo through the room as the small, purple crystal was revealed.

"What is that?"

Zach took the crystal from his necklace and held it loosely in his hand.

"As my old mentor told me once, in this tiny crystal rests the knowledge of a whole world."

Severus looked confused, what his son was saying didn't make much sense. But before he could question the boy, Zach had walked to a wall and inserted the stone in it. Then, in a clear, strong voice, he uttered a word in a strange language.

Slamishun.

The Potions Master shivered, while he was certain his son had not spoken in parseltongue, the word had some elements that resembled it. His questions about the strange language were drowned in a gasp. The small crystal started to glow strongly and before he could understand what was happening, a whole library grew around them. Severus looked down at his son. The boy had obviously known this was going to happen as he seemed unmoved by the startling display.

Five minutes later, a table and four comfortable looking armchairs appeared close to the fire, signifying that the changes to the room had been completed. Zach sank down on the nearest chair and watched as his father slowly started to move to the closest shelf. It was strange having company down here. For so long this had been his refuge, his safe place, to now have his father here with him was strange. Zach tensed slightly as Severus reached out a hand to touch one of the tomes, a strange feeling of protectiveness rose in him. He had to hold himself still for all his instincts were screaming for him to get the man away from his books.

Severus seemed to sense that something was not quite right for he took his hand back and looked to where his son was sitting tensely in a chair.

"What's wrong, Zach?"

Taking a deep breath, the boy tried to relax back into his chair. His father would not harm his books; he would treat them with the respect they deserved.

"It's nothing."

Severus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "What did I say about lying?"

The boy sighed. "I'm just being irrational, Father, I have never brought anyone down here. To have you here..."

Severus' face softened in understanding. He could guess quite accurately how his son was feeling. He himself had felt something like that not too long ago.

"You feel as if I'm invading your space, as if I am taking your own safe heaven away from you. You think I will not respect that which obviously is important to you."

Zach, who had closed his eyes in an attempt to reign in his growing apprehension, snapped them open again. "How do you know that?"

Severus smiled softly at his son and walked over to him so that he was sitting on the arm of the armchair the boy was sitting in. Gently he put an arm around his child and drew him close to him.

"I felt the same way when you came to live with me. My rooms in the dungeons were my refuge, the only place I could be just what I wanted to be. Not the evil bat of the dungeons, not the stern professor, just me. I thought you being there, sharing my rooms with me, would change all that."

Zach had tensed just a bit, despite the reassuring warmth of his father's arm around here. "And did it change?"

Severus chuckled. "Of course it did. But it changed for the better. I'm no longer alone there; you give me the companionship that had been missing for many, long years."

Zach closed his eyes and relaxed. Yes, things may change when his father knew the truth but not all change was bad. He was drawn out of his musings when the older man shook him slightly.

"So, an explanation would be much welcome."

Zach chuckled slightly and stood up. "And now I have the problem as to how to begin."

Severus slid down so he was now sitting in the seat his son had occupied till them. "As Albus is so fond of saying, the beginning is usually a good place."

The teenager smiled softly. "Maybe he is right. It started when I was just seven and a strange old Lady came to live near my aunt and uncle. I believe I told you a bit about Lady Rose?" The man nodded slightly, recalling how his son had cried for the woman that had once been his protector. "I told you that she used to tell me tales. Wonderful tales about the old times and about a race that had seen all others grow into what they are today. Of course, at first I thought they were nothing more than tales, after all, to a child that had been told his whole life that magic didn't exist, people with wings and wonderful powers would be nothing more than fantasy."

Zach moved to the closest shelf and caressed the books sitting there. "But Rose didn't stop at telling me stories; she started to teach me their language, their customs, everything she knew about them, she taught me. To me, it was only a game, she would quiz me each day, and I made it my goal to try and remember every little detail of what she told me." Zach laughed softly. "I still remember the day I realized everything she had told me was not fantasy but reality."

_Flash Back _

Harry skipped happily towards Lady Rose's house. The math teacher had been ill so the school had called the parents so they could take their children home. It was the last day before summer holidays, and he was looking forward to spending a lot of time with his neighbour. He knew his aunt wouldn't complain; after all, she was quite happy when he spent all the time with Lady Rose. Harry some times wished the Lady would take him in permanently, but he knew that was just a wish that would never come to pass. Finally reaching the right house, he opened the door without knocking. Lady Rose had been adamant that he didn't need to knock; her house would always be open to him.

When he neared the living room, he froze in place. There were voices coming from the living room which was very strange since Lady Rose never had visitors. Trying to be very silent, little Harry approached the door and opened it just slightly so he could look in without being seen. Sadly enough, he could only see Lady Rose sitting in her usual chair. She was talking with someone obviously seated in front of her. After a few seconds, Harry realized she was speaking in Draconian. He couldn't make out all the words, since she only had been teaching him for the last three months. He was so intent in trying to understand what was being said that he never noticed a form moving towards the door and suddenly throw it open, exposing him to Lady Rose and her guest.

Young Harry stumbled slightly and then flushed. He had been discovered and by the steely glint in Lady Rose's eyes, there was going to be hell to pay later. The Lady had often lectured him about being too curious for his own good, but he never thought about it when such an opportunity presented itself. Turning around, he came face to face with another woman. She had silvery white hair, her slight form was dressed in a form fitting dress, and while to Harry she looked old, she moved as if she was no older than twenty.

And who might this be?

Lady Rose was still looking at him sternly, causing him to shift nervously in place.

This is Harry, I believe I told you about him.

The woman who had been standing close to him raised an eyebrow. You certainly didn't tell me he was that young.

Lady Rose shrugged slightly. He is powerful, he has a good mind, and I sense he will bring great changes into this world. I have spent years looking for someone to take my knowledge, and he is the only one coming close to fulfilling my standards. Turning to the child still standing uncomfortably at the entrance of the room, she added in English. "Despite his curiosity that has him in trouble more often than not."

Harry flushed again and the woman laughed softly, obviously understanding English as well as Draconian. Don't be that hard on the child.

Lady Rose transferred her glare to the older woman. I will deal with him as I see fit, and reigning in his curiosity will do him absolutely no harm, quite the contrary.

The other woman raised her hands slightly. Of course, Rose. Anyway, I think it's time for me to leave, thank you for the wonderful lunch.

The woman turned around, giving Harry a clear view of her back for the first time. The young boy couldn't believe his eyes. She had wings! She had to be a wingly. But then that meant that everything had to be true!

He was too dazed to notice that the woman disappeared with a soft pop and that Lady Rose walked up to him, a scowl on her face. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sharp smack on his behind.

"Harry James Potter, how many times have I told you..."

_End Flash Back_

Despite his shock at what his son was telling him, Severus couldn't help but laugh at the memory Zach was describing. The boy pouted slightly. "It's not funny; she spanked me and then made me stand looking at the wall for an hour before she allowed me to apologize."

That made Severus laugh harder. "I'll have to remember that next time you misbehave, it seems much more effective than grounding you. After all, you still remember it after all those years."

Zach looked up at his father with an indignant grimace. "I was eight then! You can't spank me now!"

Severus raised an eyebrow but didn't answer leaving Zach to wonder if his father would really spank him if he misbehaved enough. His father drew him out of those thoughts with his next question.

"So, who exactly was this Lady Rose, I doubt she was a common muggle."

Zach shook his head slightly. "She was the Keeper of Secrets."

Severus narrowed his eyes. "The one Charlie was talking about the other day?" Zach nodded, awaiting the next question. "So, after she died, you became the new Keeper?"

Zach looked seriously to his father. "Indeed. She chose me to be the new Keeper the same way that I will have to choose someone when I feel my end is near."

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for beta-reading this chapter.

(To Laia: Té, ja sta, contenta????)


	39. Doubts

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Zach relaxed against the soft armchair, the fire bringing some comfort to his tired mind. His father had been relentless in his questioning, trying to ascertain in just how much danger his position as Keeper put him. The Gryffindor had tried to convince him that to be the Keeper was not dangerous, he was just the holder of a library, and one which no one even knew it existed. Severus had not been so sure about it, and the fact that Voldemort was playing with old books didn't do anything to reassure the former spy. Much to Zach astonishment, at one point, his father had even demanded that he pass the duties to someone else, something that Zachary was not about to do. After the boy had made it clear he was not about to give up his position as Keeper, Severus had demanded that Albus be made aware of the knowledge his son held. Zach had once again refused. It had been hard enough to tell his father, he was not about to confide in anyone else if he could help it. To say Severus had been displeased at that would have been an understatement. The man had shouted at him, threatened him, but Zach would not give in. In the end, the Potions Master stormed out of the trunk, leaving his son to sink back in his chair, sure in his knowledge that he shouldn't have told his father anything.

That man sure knows how to shout.

Zach didn't bother to open his eyes. If the only thing you can do is make obvious statements then, please, leave.

Meru pouted slightly and sank into the chair Severus had just left behind. No need to snap at me, I didn't do anything.

The Gryffindor opened an eye and glared at the Wingly. You are here, that's reason enough. How did you get in anyway?

The woman smiled slightly. That's a secret.

Zach closed his eyes and passed a tired hand over his face. Then do me a favour and use that secret of yours to go away, I'm really not in the mood.

Meru snorted. I can see that.

What I would like to see is to see you leaving.

The Wingly giggled. A bit difficult since you have yet to open your eyes.

Zach snapped his eyes open, a scowl deeply etched on his face. Alright, alright. What do you want?

Meru raised an eyebrow. I didn't say I wanted something.

The teenager scowled. So you're here just to annoy me?

Yup, that's about it.

Zach sharply stood up and went to the crystal. With a soft command, he ordered the library to shrink back into place. Meru, who hadn't been paying attention to him, fell to the floor as the armchair disappeared from under her.

Hey! A bit of warning would have been nice.

Zach scowled at her as he placed the crystal back on his crest necklace. I bet it would have. Now, I'm going up, I have to figure out how to prevent my father from spilling my secrets to the whole Order.

Meru turned to face him and rose to the air. He wouldn't do that without your permission.

Zach hesitated at the stairs for a moment. "I wish I was so sure."

The Wingly shook her head at the young Keeper as he disappeared up the stairs and closed the lid of the trunk, leaving her surrounded by darkness. The young wizard still had a lot to learn but it would be difficult for him if he couldn't even trust his father. Sighing, she disappeared with a soft pop, knowing that her presence right now would just annoy the Keeper. Not that she would have minded in the least, but he was riled up enough.

It was just after lunch when Zach emerged from his trunk, his argument with his father had left him listless and unsure on what he should do. A swift walk around the room told him that the older man was not there, which made him nervous. Severus could be right now telling Dumbledore about him and there was nothing he could do about it. Leaving Rowena's translation on his desk, Zach considered what he should do now.

A small part of him wanted to leave. To just pack his things and get the hell out of there before anything else might happen. The thought that everyone would find out about him being the Keeper terrified him, and he didn't want to stay around if that were to happen. Another part of him was contemplating to try and hunt down his father and just obliviate him. That sounded quite appealing, and he would have seriously considered it if he had the time to practice on someone else first. Damaging his father's mind wouldn't do much to improve their relationship.

After standing nearly a half hour standing in the middle of his room, trying to decide what to do, the teenager finally sighed and shook his head. He would just have to wait and see what happened now. Remembering he was still grounded and the terms of his punishment, Zach sighed and went to the Potions lab. Lunch hour was long gone and his father and him were supposed to be working on cleaning up the lab. He didn't really expect his father to be there but there was no sense on waiting for him.

Once in the lab, Zach headed to the first of the numerous cupboards that held ingredients. They needed to be reorganized and cleaned up badly. No matter how careful his father was in placing his things, after several years of not cleaning up properly, the cupboards were messy and disorganized. Zach sighed and shook his head. This was going to take a while, especially since no magic could be used on the vials holding the ingredients. Trying not to think on the impossible task lying in front of him, Zach started taking out the vials of the first cupboard.

Severus had been standing at the top of the Astronomy tower for nearly an hour, and he was just starting to calm down. He wished he could bring himself to go to Albus and share his worries about his son and the new discovery he had made about him just an hour ago, but he couldn't. He couldn't break the trust the younger wizard had placed in him. Sighing, the Potions Master finally gave in and sat down and rubbed his temples carefully. He had a pounding headache and he knew the stress of the few last days was catching up on him. In normal circumstances, he would never have lost his temper like he had done this evening.

"Something is troubling you, Severus."

The Potions Master looked up abruptly, not having heard anyone approaching him. He relaxed back against the wall at the sight of the Deputy Headmistress standing next to him.

"Don't do that, Minerva."

The woman chuckled slightly and conjured a comfortable looking chair. "It's not like you to be so oblivious of your surroundings."

The younger man shrugged. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Anything I can help you with?"

Severus looked at her for a moment before gazing once again to the distance. "Imagine one of the students comes to you and tells you something important, something that might change things later on but that at that moment is not very relevant. He has good reasons to keep things quiet but has trusted you because he thinks someone should know, and he trusts you to keep quite. Would you go tell Albus?"

Minerva pursed her lips, while not often, she had occasionally found herself in a situation like Severus just described. It was always a struggle, and she usual felt like there was no right choice.

"It would depend on the case."

Her younger colleague blinked up to her. "You would actually withhold information from Albus?"

Minerva frowned. "I have on occasion, yes. Other times, I have broken some students' trust. It's always hard to decide and you may never be sure which option was the correct one."

Severus blinked. "What was your decision based on?"

The deputy headmistress sighed. "Such a decision is always based on trust. Trust that the one sharing the secret with you knows what he is doing. Trust that he will do what is right when the time comes."

Severus remained silent, and Minerva turned slightly so she could watch him better. "I take it this has something to do with Zach?"

The Potions Master rubbed his nose tiredly. "Yes. He told me some things this evening, important things, but I can't bring myself to go to Albus about them."

Minerva stayed silent for a moment before responding. "Your son has a good head on his shoulders and is mature beyond his years. He will not endanger anyone knowingly."

Severus snorted. "He would endanger himself without a second thought if he thought it might save someone else."

Minerva raised an eyebrow. "Is that the case in this instance?"

The Slytherin Head of House bit his lip. "He says he is in no danger."

The witch nodded. "Then maybe you should trust him? You're asking him to trust you, but it can not only go one way, Severus."

Closing his eyes, the Potions Master let his head fall against the wall. "I know, but it's not easy; I just want to gather him and hide him away so that he will be safe."

Minerva chuckled slightly. "I think everyone noticed that. Really, Severus, you should give the boy some space; he is not used to someone directing his every move."

Severus frowned. "You think I'm being too forceful?"

The witch nodded slightly. "I think the two of you need to adjust. Zach is simply not used to someone telling him what to do at every moment; if you're not careful, he might start to resent you."

The man sighed. "Not to mention I'm not usually very nice about it."

The Gryffindor Head of House raised an eyebrow. "Now, I wouldn't say that; I have seen you together and you have been going out of your way to be gentle with him."

"You obviously didn't hear me shout at him not even two hours ago."

The deputy headmistress shook her head. "You are tired and tense. Everyone has bad days. I would recommend having a nice long soak and then going to bed early. You can talk things out with Zach in the morning."

Severus rubbed his neck. "Maybe you're right."

The witch laughed, standing up and vanishing her armchair. "Can I have that written in paper?"

Snape scowled up at her slightly and watched as the woman left without a word. Maybe things would go back to the way they were just a few days ago.

Zach had been working for nearly three hours when he heard the door to the Potions Master's quarters open. He paused briefly in his motions but then continued with what he had been doing, his back tense. It took only a minute before the door to the lab opened and his father stepped in. Even though his back was turned to the door, he could hear the man pause when he caught sight of him. Zach was waiting for the angry words to start again and was therefore startled when a gentle hand settled on the nap of his neck. The vial filled with newt eyes he had been dusting fell from his hand and shattered on the floor. Zach winced and shrank a bit before falling on his knees and starting to gather the slivers of glass that had fallen around him.

Severus watched in concern as his son started to mutter apologies and knelt to the floor, taking the broken glass with his bare hands. It seemed that his previous displays of anger had affected his son more than he had suspected.

"Zach."

The boy didn't seem to hear him and continued to gather the glass. With a frown, Severus vanished the glass, causing the boy to stop dead in his tracks.

"Zach."

Snape cursed in his mind when fear filled eyes looked up at him. The knowledge that he had somehow put that fear there made him feel even worse than he had been feeling that afternoon. Gently he knelt next to the teen and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Come on, Zach, you've worked enough for this evening, I'm glad you decided to start, and I'm sorry I was not here to help you out."

The teenager remained unmoved. "The vial..."

Severus stood and gently helped his son to stand. "It was an accident, I didn't mean to startle you so much. I thought you had heard me."

Zach allowed himself to be pushed to the living room. "You're not angry?"

"No, child, I'm not." Zach relaxed slightly under his arm but didn't say anything. "Have you eaten anything?"

The boy's wince was enough for him, so Severus gently pushed him towards the hall. "Go clean up a bit and we will have dinner here; I think we have some things to discuss."

To be continued...

A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for beta-reading this.


	40. Halfbloods

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

The Keeper of Secrets.

Severus watched in concern as his son played with his food. He could easily discern the worried frown and stressed face which was, he was sure, a result of their earlier discussion. Seeing that Zach was not going to be eating anything right now, Severus sighed and put his fork down. Zach looked up startled at the sudden move and looked worried up at his father.

Severus shook his head slightly. "Shall we talk for a bit?"

Zach nervously put his own fork on the table and followed his father to the couch. The older man immediately sat down and watched as his son, after a short hesitation, sat in the armchair in front of the couch.

Settling in more comfortably, a direct contrast to his son's tense form, Severus immediately went to the heart of the matter.

"I have not told anyone about what you told me, in case that is what has you so worried."

Zach couldn't help the relieved sigh that escaped his lips as he relaxed slightly against the soft cushions. Severus frowned slightly.

"I understand that it's your choice whether you want to tell people or not. But you also need to understand that I am worried about what you told me. I don't like the idea of you getting into harm's way."

The teenager frowned. "I'm not going to get hurt, Papa."

The Potions Master shook his head. "So you keep saying, and I am going to trust your opinion for now, but at the slightest sign that you are in any danger because of this, we will be going to talk to the Headmaster." As Zach's frown increased, Severus leaned forward. "Zach, I really need you to understand something. I respect you, and I respect your opinion, and if you say that you are in no danger I believe that you think so. But my most important priority is your safety, and I will have you hating me for betraying your trust before I see you hurt."

The Gryffindor lowered his eyes, his frown easing from his face. "I could never hate you."

The older man smiled a bit sadly. "Maybe not hate me, but you certainly were afraid of me before."

Zach's eyes flew to his father's sad face. "I..."

The boy bit his lip nervously while Severus waited patiently for an answer to his indirect question. He knew he had overreacted at the news, his worry overwhelming his common sense and usual cool head. But he had not made any move to touch the boy. Sure, he had screamed and ranted and wished he could throttle some sense into the child, but Zach was surely used to him yelling. He had done it often enough in the past. When the boy didn't answer, he pressed the matter.

"I would never touch you in anger, Son."

Zach nodded. "I know."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Do you? It didn't look like you did."

The Gryffindor averted his face. "Sometimes, I can't help remembering, Papa, and you seemed awfully angry at me before, and I already was in trouble for lying to you. And you had just discovered that I had been keeping even more things from you all."

Severus shook his head. "No matter how angry I get, I will never willingly hurt you. I may yell, I may ground you, I may make you do chores, but I will never hit you."

Zach looked at him curiously. "Not even to spank me?"

The older man raised an eyebrow. "If your behaviour ever deteriorates that much, it will get to that yes. But I don't really see why that should concern you to such a degree, while I know from experience that it is unpleasant, you told me yourself you had been spanked before by Lady Rose, and you didn't seem very traumatised by that."

The boy sighed. "She wasn't the only one who spanked me."

Severus narrowed his eyes dangerously. "I really should have guessed. I take it this has something to do with the Dursleys?"

Zach shivered lightly and shook his head to shake away the memories that the conversation was bringing. Vernon had been overly fond of taking him over his knees and spanking his arse raw for every minor infraction, and even for imagined ones. Lady Rose had used the same method but only when he had really messed up. And while she was never gentle when dishing out such punishments, he could always sit down more or less comfortably the next day. With Vernon, he would feel it for days and more often than not, he was spanked again before he had the chance to completely heal, meaning he had spent months in pain. Only when the school started to get suspicious did the brutal spankings stop. The soft clearing of a throat brought him back to the living room, where his father was now regarding him worriedly.

"Are you alright, Zach?"

The boy nodded slightly. "I'm fine, just bad memories."

"About the Dursleys."

This time it was no question, just a statement of fact. Zach didn't even bother to acknowledge the older man. He really didn't want to discuss it right now, the day had been trying enough, and he just wanted to go to bed and sleep. The older man seemed to sense his son's reluctance, and recalling Minerva's warning, he decided to not demand answers tonight. Zach would tell him when he felt comfortable doing so and if not, well, he still needed to go to Privet Drive and have a chat with his son's relatives; there was no reason to not use the moment to gain some further insight in his son's childhood, or lack there of.

"So, about that book..."

Zach had to suppress a sigh, while he was glad that his father had dropped the previous conversation, he didn't think he would enjoy this one much more. "Yes?"

Severus sipped his wine, regarding the boy carefully. "You told me the Dark Lord was interested in having Ravenclaw's copies which she translated against the keeper's will, right?"

Harry nodded. "That's about it, yes."

The Potions master nodded. "So, there must be something different between the original book and the translation. Is there any way you can get your hands on a copy of the original book so that we can compare them? Or rather, that you can compare them since you're the only one capable of reading that old language."

Zach munched on a bit of bread, thinking on how to phrase what he wanted to say. "I already own a copy of that book, Papa."

Severus narrowed his eyes. "I guess that shouldn't surprise me much. Why didn't you tell us at least that you had it? The Dark Lord might have been going after your copy for all we knew."

The teenager sighed, a bit relieved that the man wasn't shouting again despite the stern tone of voice his father was using. "I considered it, but the probability of him knowing about me was very low, not even people who know about the Keeper's existence usually know who exactly he or she is. It doesn't even need to be a human. And even if he had known that I was the Keeper, and that I had the book, he would still have to go into Hogwarts, he would have to know that my library is concealed in the pendent, and he would need someone to activate it so that he could reach the books."

Severus smiled against his will. "All right, you have a point there, while it could have happened, it is not very probable."

Zach nodded in agreement but didn't comment, allowing his father to voice his next question. "So, you knew all along what the book exactly contained. You could have told us about that."

The teenager raised an eyebrow. "I believe Dumbledore's friend already told you that, didn't he?"

Severus blinked, a bit surprised. "He was right about it being the history of how wizards came to be?"

Zach chuckled slightly. "It's not that centred on wizards as he might have implied. It is the story on how our world came to be what it is nowadays. Actually, Voldemort would find very little use for the book itself since it is against everything purebloods believe in."

Severus looked curiously. "How comes?"

Zach smirked at his father. "It explains exactly how it is impossible for wizards to be pure-bloods. The very definition of wizard actually goes against it."

The Potions Master frowned. He had to admit he had believed the pure-blood propaganda when he was younger, and while he didn't agree with Voldemort any more, there were still things in which he thought he was superior to other, muggle-born wizards. "I don't think I understand."

His son raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to understand?"

Severus hesitated for a second before nodding, knowledge was knowledge after all. "As I'm sure Dumbledore's friend told you, millennia ago the Wingly reigned over the Earth. What he probably didn't mention, or didn't know, was that humans were enslaved to them. They did all their work, they were used for their amusement, and many of them were breed as sex slaves. Both male and female Wingly used to have human companions to warm their beds at night. While not very often, sometimes a baby was born of those relationships. Now, one can argue that Wingly weren't very nice, but they had a very high respect for life and were completely incapable to kill a baby which was part of them. That, in the end, was their downfall. The humans soon learned that those babies held power, not as strong as the power the Wingly wielded, but it was power nonetheless. More than that, if two of these people conceived a child together, that child had a high probability to also be able to wield that power. For several centuries they kept that knowledge from the Wingly until they had an army of powerful people. They revolted against them, and the Wingly lost. So, you see, wizards can not be pure-bloods because they are a mix of a muggle and a Wingly. Actually, the stronger a wizard is the more recent the union of a Wingly and a muggle has occurred."

Severus regarded his son thoughtfully. "While the story makes a strange sort of sense, how do you know it really happened? I mean, if magic was only enforced by new Wingly blood, then it would have died out long ago."

Zach shrugged. "You're assuming that Wingly keep out of the human world. They don't. They usually don't reveal themselves, but they certainly walk among us."

The Potions Master blinked. "Have you ever seen any?"

Zach gave him an amused glance. "Once or twice, yes." By the glance his father gave him, the Gryffindor knew that the man didn't know whether to believe him or not. "Lady Rose had a close relationship with some Wingly; it wasn't often, but I saw them from time to time. After you see one a few times, you learn to recognize them, and even if they are hiding who they are, it easy to differentiate them from humans or wizards."

Severus shook his head. "Merlin, to think I could have seen such an ancient creature and not have noticed. But why would they breed with humans? Surely they don't want to have anything to do with us?"

Zach sipped his drink for a few moments, considering just what to tell the man. This question was hitting closer to home than his father probably realised.

"Some do it because it grants them the chance to live new experiences. You have to realize that Wingly live a very long life. A lot of them are still survivors of that ancient war. Others are just fascinated with humans, and want to take a closer look. It's not very often that such a case ends with children, and well... Other cases it is because of revenge."

"Revenge?"

Harry hesitated again, and this time Severus notice. "Zach?"

The teenager moistened his lips slightly. "Well, there are some Wingly who are known to get married to a human every few decades and produce a child. Then they take their frustrations out on them. They are often Wingly who lost loved ones in the ancient war and that have become embittered through the centuries."

Snape stared at his son. The hesitation, the tone of voice he was using, everything was inviting him to draw a conclusion which he really didn't want to. "You are a very powerful wizard, certainly above average."

Zach nodded and leaned back in his chair. "So are you."

"What you are proposing..."

The teenager raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't change a thing."

"Are you sure about it?"

"If you're asking me whether your father, my grandfather, was a Wingly, the answer is yes. I checked it when I learned that you were my father. I knew I was quite powerful and had already checked Uncle James and Mom's relatives. Nothing had come of it which was a bit confusing."

"Merlin. And I thought it was bad that my father was a muggle."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't think too much about it, Papa. You are still the same person."

Severus shook his head. "You realize there may be several of my half-brothers or half-sisters walking around right?"

The boy's silence was enough, and Severus couldn't help but groan and bury his head in his hands. "I don't know if I want to know."

Harry sighed. "It still doesn't make any difference, Papa. There is no way you could contact them and tell them about this without sounding mad. Your half siblings are spread through out the world. The probability of you ever meeting one of them is close to none." Looking to his watch, he sighed half in relief, half in annoyance. It was already a quarter to ten, meaning that he had fifteen minutes to get in bed. Today he didn't mind much having to go to sleep, he would be able to avoid more uncomfortable questions. "I'm going to bed."

Severus looked to his own watch and nodded, still a bit overwhelmed about the information his son had just given him. Thinking over the conversation once more, the Potions Master suddenly sat up and looked towards the door his son had disappeared through. The little minx! He had masterfully led the conversation away from the main topic Severus wanted to talk about. The older man considered going after his son and demand an explanation, but the teenager had looked tired, and he really couldn't keep the boy up when he had imposed the bedtime as punishment. Which, his mind supplied, he was not enforcing in any way. If it was not because of Zach's willingness to obey him, the boy could have gone through the whole day as he pleased. Shaking his head, the Potions Master retired to his room, he would consider what to do in the morning.

A/N: Happy new year to everyone! And as usual, thanks for the reviews and to Vinnie for beta-reading this chapter.


End file.
